CALL FOR CALIFORNIA-MALAYSIA BUSINESSES TO COLLABORATE ON TECHNOLOGY

From Umi Hani Sharani

LOS ANGELES, Dec 9 (Bernama) -- Malaysian firms should emulate the success
of California-based firms in becoming global players in high technology
innovation, as the goverment aspires to raise the country from middle-income
nation to high-income economy.

In a move to realise this, Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (MIDA)
chairman Dr Sulaiman Mahbob suggested a collaboration between
Californian and Malaysian businesses.

He said California is the largest manufacturing centre in the United States,
with its new economy largely technology-driven and its major industries include
bio-medical, aerospace, fabricated metal products, advanced electronics,
software design, biotechnology, photonics products, solar energy, and business
and professional services.

"Given that Los Angeles' strengths are in these particular areas, there is
huge potential for business collaboration between businesses from this region
and Malaysia," he said when addressing US businessmen in a trade and investment
mission here.

Sulaiman said among the key sectors that Malaysia would like to invite
investments from the US are renewable energy (solar), biotechnology,
electronics, medical devices, aerospace, information and communications
technology, machinery equipment, and services industries.

"We are now on a higher plane of industrialisation, whereby Malaysia's focus
is on attracting quality investments which are high technology,
capital-intensive, high value-added, knowledge-based and skills-intensive
operations, incorporating activities such as design and development, and
research and development," he said.

Sulaiman also assured the American business community that the Malaysian
government was strongly committed to intellectual property (IP) rights
protection.

"Malaysia undertakes strong measures against intellectual property
infringement and piracy. Malaysia's IP protection laws are in conformance with
international standards and provide adequate protection to foreign investors,"
he said.

In reminding the businessmen that Malaysia continued to remain a
cost-competitive destination for US investments, Sulaiman said to date there
were 649 implemented manufacturing projects from the US with investments
amounting to US$11.9 billion.

In 2008, Malaysia's total trade with the US was US$41.8 billion with exports
at US$24.8 billion and imports at US$16.9 billion.

The US was Malaysia's second largest trading partner last year.

Based on the data from the US Department of Commerce, Malaysia-US trade
conducted through Los Angeles has been significant.

Malaysia's exports to the US through Los Angeles were valued at US$6.7
billion in 2008 while imports from the US via the same route rose by 20.6 per
cent to US$3.5 billion from US$2.9 billion in 2007.

Among the major products imported by Malaysia were machinery, iron and
steel, and medical instruments.

-- BERNAMA