Largest Ever Dutch Business Delegation Arrives In Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama) - The largest ever Dutch business
delegation, comprising 13 leading biotechnology and life sciences companies, are
currently in Malaysia to seek technology cooperation and exchange with Malaysian
private and public sectors.

The two-day visit, beginning Monday, will see the delegation engage in
high-level talks with senior ranking decision makers and officials from the
private and public sectors, a statement from the Netherlands Foreign Investment
Agency said Monday.

The Netherlands is Malaysia's second largest trading partner from the
European Union with total trade in 2009 amounting to US$6.2 billion and
growing.

The statement said the long-standing trade relations may now expand into
new areas, particularly one that would see the exciting combination of
cutting-edge, breakthrough Dutch technology in renewable energy and bio-fuels
(namely palm oil) and Malaysia's vast experience and wealth of resources in the
cash crop industry.

Netherlands Ambassador to Malaysia Paul Bekkers said Malaysia was selected
for several reasons.

"Malaysia is one of the largest producers of palm oil in the world with the
Netherlands as the biggest consumer in Europe. There is a growing movement
towards creating a more sustainable environment including the use of palm oil
wastes as a renewable energy source. In addition, there are many established
palm oil companies here," he added.

Meanwhile, the list of Dutch companies represented in the delegation
includes Avantium Chemicals, BioTorTech, CKade, DSM, Maris Projects, Purac,
Redox Water, Waganingen UR Food and Biobased Research, BE-Basic, Prof.dr.ir.
Luuk A.M. van der Wielen from Delft University of Technology, Feyecon Asia,
Genetwister Technologies and Food Valley.

Bekkers said some companies were very innovative with cutting edge
breakthrough technology related to processing biomass and bio-waste into
high-value products.

The Netherlands is also the sixth top investor in Malaysia with companies in
the likes of Shell, ING, Philips, TNT Express, Unilever and Dutch Lady.