AMCHAM Annual Penang Dialogue 2016
2016-12-06 12:00 - 14:00 UTC
AMCHAM has recently hosted the Annual Penang Dialogue 2016 with YAB Tuan Lim Guan Eng, Chief Minister of Penang and Edgard Kagan, Chargé d’ Affairès of the U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur on December 6, 2016 from 12:00 – 2:00p.m. at Equatorial Hotel Penang.
AMCHAM member companies in Penang have been a strong contributor to the Penang economy and despite the challenging global economic environment; Penang has recorded strong investment over the last 8 years. The Chief Minister stated, “For the 8 years period between 2008 – 2015, Penang recorded an investment of RM55 billion, a 90% increase compared to the previous 8 years of RM29 billion. Out of the RM55 billion approved investment recorded from 2008 – 2015, RM13.7 billion or 25% were from US investors, which makes US as the largest FDI contributor to the Penang economy.”
A large portion of Foreign Direct Investments in Penang is from the US, and this includes luminaries such as Jabil, HP, Sandisk and Flextronic. Boston Scientific is the latest in a series of FDIs and is the direct result of the State government’s efforts in steering Penang towards becoming a high-income and a knowledge economy. Apart from manufacturing, US MNCs are also expanding into the Global Business Services (GBS) sector in Penang.
The state government will continue to focus on good governance and clean leadership, increasing our talent pool and improving public infrastructure.
AMCHAM will be making a much stronger effort in 2017 to be more active in the area not only reaching out to our two important Committees MAEI and MARI, representing the E&E and Solar industries respectively but to other growing areas like healthcare and the services that support industry.
AMCHAM would like to thank our 4 corporate sponsors for their contribution towards making this event a success.
1. GOLD SPONSOR – FIRST SOLAR MALAYSIA
2. SILVER SPONSOR -MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS, NATIONGATE SOLUTIONS & WESTERN DIGITAL
Thank you also to all the companies that took up corporate tables.

AMCHAM Christmas Cheer 2016
2016-12-16
AMCHAM organized a Christmas networking evening for our members and guests on December 16, 2016 at Hubba Hubba Sentral. This was our final event to wrap up 2016.
It was a challenging year in economic and financial terms, both globally and locally in Malaysia, however at AMCHAM, we managed to remain remarkably positive throughout all this. We will doing things differently in 2017, so please stay tune.
We would like to thank all our members and guests for joining us and we hope you had as much fun as we had. We would also like to thank all our lucky draw sponsors – Mondelez, Federal Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Outback Steakhouse and Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur.

Welcome Back - Members’ Briefing
2017-01-10
The Members’ Briefing is a regular member’s only networking and sharing between U.S. Embassy’s senior officials and AMCHAM members.
To greet 2017, AMCHAM hosted a welcome back members’ briefing and cocktail on January 10, with Nat Turner, Economic Counselor, U.S. Embassy Kuala Lumpur. Nat provided an update from the Embassy to the approximately 30 members who participated and helped ring in the year the year in with some champagne. During his remarks, Nat mentioned the anticipation around the Inauguration on January 20 and also mentioned the upcoming, informal, visit by Ambassador-Designate, Kamala Lakhdhir, to Malaysia.
Siobhan Das, Executive Director of AMCHAM highlighted some key areas that AMCHAM is actively involved in on behalf of our members, including the recent ruling on Foreign Exchange Administration by Bank Negara Malaysia and the impact of the Withholding Tax ruling that has since been gazetted on January 16 amending Section 2 and 15A of the Income Tax Act 1967. Siobhan also mentioned that there will be no changes to the membership fee structure for 2017 but urged members to renew early so that they can participate in the upcoming events and AGM.
The briefing was well attended by our membership of about 30 attendees. AMCHAM would like to encourage all our members to attend this briefing to get to know the Chamber, U.S. Embassy and other fellow members.

Growing Talent Partnership
2017-01-17 10:00 - 11:30 (Asia/Shanghai)
AMCHAM and TalentCorp jointly organized the first chamber briefing for 2017 on Growing Talent Partnerships. Held at AMCHAM’s Executive Office, the interactive session was led by Mr Tan Keat Meng, Manager of Foreign Talent Facilitation & Shared Services TalentCorp.
Mr Tan updated attendees with the latest on the requirements and benefits for Employment Pass (EP), Residence Pass Talent (RP-T) and new MYXpats Centre services.
He advised all companies who wish to employ eligible expatriates will need to register with the Expatriate Services Division (ESD) under the Immigration Department of Malaysia. This one-stop centre enables all expatriate applicants to deal with Immigration matters without having to go to different divisions to obtain different permits or pass.
Data shows that Manufacturing, Oil, Gas & Energy, Business Services, Construction and Education industries the Top 5 Sectors for Expatriate applications submitted.
Members, especially those who were unable to attend, are encouraged to learn more by visiting the MYXpats Centre at: https://esd.imi.gov.my/portal/faq/myxpats.

Malaysian & ASEAN Economic Outlook 2017
2017-02-15
The Economic Outlook 2017, one of AMCHAM’s signature event was held on February 15, 2017 at the Intercontinental Hotel Kuala Lumpur. The event featured Ong Sin Beng, Head of ASEAN Economics from JP Morgan Chase Bank and our panel of industry experts – Ramzi Toubassy, CEO of AmMetLife Insurance, Dato’ Wong Siew Hai, MAEI Chairman of AMCHAM and our moderator for the day was Freda Liu, Producer / Presenter of BFM.
Ong Sin Beng provided members with an overview of the current economy around ASEAN reflecting it in context of the other economies like China, Indonesia, Philippines and Malaysia. Many questions were raised to seek clarity on the current economic state with the new Trump Administration and also areas involving the Trans Pacific Partnership.
Dato’ Wong provided an update of the Electrical & Electronics (E&E) industry in Malaysia. He pointed out the ongoing challenge is getting the right talent that most companies are facing. He also highlighted that many Malaysians are at the helm of many leading U.S. multinationals.

Insights Into Recent GST & Customs Issues
2017-02-22 10:00 - 12:00 (Asia/Shanghai)
Almost two years into the Goods and Services Tax (GST) that was implemented in Malaysia in 2015 the Royal Malaysian Customs Department has been conducting audits on companies to ensure compliance.
AMCHAM members were given a short briefing by Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill’s team of lawyers on the GST Act, GST documentation; legal remedies.
They emphasized on the importance of maintaining proper records of company’s derived transaction value of goods and services, as the GST is imposed on goods and services at every production and distribution stage in the supply chain. Likewise, the relevant authorities are also required to publish all the procedures and to ensure all forms are accessible to the public.
They also informed members that The National Revenue Recovery Enforcement Team (NRRET) has been set-up with the objective to recover the Government’s revenue and has the authority to raid companies. Companies were advised to co-operate with them and seek the assistance of a legal counsel if necessary.
What is GST? It is a fixed rate tax of 6% that was introduced to replace the sales and services tax which ranged between 5% – 10%.
The Spotlight Session ended with questions from the floor. AMCHAM would like to take this opportunity to thank the speakers, Mr. S. Saravana Kumar, Mr. Jason Tan and Ms. Ivy Ling of Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill for an informative session.

An Evening of Wine Tasting and Networking
2017-02-23 18:30 - 20:30 (Asia/Shanghai)
AMCHAM organized its first wine tasting event with the Malaysian New Zealand Chamber of Commerce at the Wine Connection at TREC, Jalan Tun Razak. Close to 50 guests from both participating chambers attended the event with many senior executives taking time off their busy schedule to try some new wines, a great venue and meet some members.
A delicious selection of wines provided at this event gave guests the opportunity to tantalize their tastebuds with a two wines (one red and one white) from U.S. and New Zealand respectively followed by and a full glass of their favorite pick. Many guests were seen purchasing bottles of wines after the event. Despite the event officially ending at 8:30p.m, guests were still having a great time till 10:00p.m.
AMCHAM would like to thank Mr. Richard Tankersley, Chairman and Mr. Bruce Hope, Vice Chairman of the Malaysian New Zealand Chamber of Commerce for partnering with AMCHAM. It is always nice to have our members meet members of other chambers to help grow their network. AMCHAM would also like to thank its members and guests for attending the event and making it a success.

Inter-Chamber Networking WTA Malaysian Open
2017-02-28 18:00 - 20:30 (Asia/Shanghai)
Eight years running, at the WTA Malaysian Open, members from the the Malaysian Dutch Business Council together with AMCHAM and other Chambers of Commerce and Business Councils participated in the jointly organised Inter-Chamber Networking evening at TPC Kuala Lumpur. Over 150 members and guests got to see some fabulous tennis with AMCHAM delivering the largest group of attendees.
The program started off with its traditional ‘Behind the Scenes Tour’ narrated by Tournament Director Keid Kristiansen, Carbon Sports which took over 20 guests on a tour of the courts, players warm-up courts and catch the players during the match. After the tour, members adjourned to the VIP Skybox main attraction of the day to watch the tennis match while enjoying drinks, including some delicious cider, and the sumptuous buffet.
The evening ended with lucky draw give-away of 7 prizes which included 2 autographed tennis balls by the Chinese world singles ranked 60, tennis rackets courtesy of Dunlop, tickets to watch the WTA in Singapore and the Grand Prize of Grandstand Tickets to watch Melbourne Open 2018.
AMCHAM once again would like to thank our members, fellow Chambers and to also congratulate the winners.

International Women’s Day - Woman Finding Success in SciTechInnovation
2017-03-08 08:00 - 17:00 (Asia/Shanghai)
AMCHAM celebrated International Women’s Day by engaging a panel of successful role models and women’s success advocate to discuss about Women Finding Success in SciTechInnovation on March 8th, 2017.
We were honored to have keynote speech by YBhg Dato’ Dr. Sharifah Maimunah Syed Zin FASc, Director of the International Science, Technology and Innovation Centre for South-South Cooperation (ISTIC) under the auspices of UNESCO. In the field of STEM, Dato’ Dr. Sharifah commented that women are still lagging behind in these areas, particularly in highest level of international awards reception.
Dato’ Dr. Sharifah who strongly believed that “when you educate women, you educate the whole generation”, women need to share more success stories, role models, to shift vision of young people.
UNESCO identified 17 sustainable development goals, an integrated, socio-economic environment where women is at its core of many sustainable development goals. While in Malaysia, the government has embarked on initiative to increase women in decision making responsibilities up to 30% in the public sector.
The session followed by panel discussion moderated by Belinda Ford, Public Affairs and Communications Director Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei of Coca-Cola. The participating panelists were Dr Reena Rajasuriar, Pharmacy Lecturer, MPharm PhD of University of Malaya and 2016 Winner of L’Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science National Award, Norhizam Abdul Kadir, Vice President, Growth Ecosystem Development Division of Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), Nadira Yusoff, Managing Director of Girls in Tech Kuala Lumpur and Chang Lee Hing, Head of Quality Assurance of Johnson & Johnson.
In relating to the International Women’s Day theme of “Be Bold for Change”, Belinda steered the discussion by having Dr Reena shared her story in achieving success and overcoming challenges. Norhizam acknowledged that women need to work harder to be more competitive than their male counterparts. However, MDEC came up with policies to encourage both female & male to get into techno-preneurship.
Speaking from experience, Nadira finds tiered-mentorship program called Women Rise taking place at Girls in Tech which helps to ensure women are equipped with capacity and capability to perform at a strategic level. Lee Hing believes that women empowerment is a shared responsibility among leadership, line managers and peers, beyond the traditional scope of HR.
The panel discussion was concluded with final thoughts that women empowerment promotes diversity and it is not about gender dominance. More women should aspire to be role models to create better opportunities for the next generation of women.
For events information, please email nadeeka@amcham.com.my.

Members’ Briefing
2017-03-22
At the bi-monthly Members’ Briefing on 22 March, the members were updated on the upcoming events in April and reminded to pay their membership fees for 2017. AMCHAM had met-up with the relevant Ministries, looking for solutions to move forward on some of the current issues.
There will be more U.S. ministerial meetings that will bring U.S. ministers to this region. In April, the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Treasury for East Asia will be visiting Malaysia and AMCHAM will be sending out invitations for a roundtable with him.
There were a few new faces from MDEC, Exxon Mobil and PGA Tours at this briefing. We hope to see more in the coming sessions.
We would like to thank Nat Turner from the U.S. Embassy for his updates.

AMCHAM Members' Briefing
2017-03-22 18:00 - 20:30 (Asia/Shanghai)
Yesterday evening, AMCHAM organised the Members’ Briefing bringing together members from various industries including C-Suite. Nat Turner, Economic Counselor from the U.S. Embassy Kuala Lumpur provided members with an overview of the current political and economic climate in Washington. The new U.S. Ambassador Lakhdir has been making courtesy visits with the local government including a recent trip to Penang to meet our northern chapter members. We would like to thank our members for their participation and look forward to seeing you at our next event.

The Modern Administrative Professional and Secretaries: You're An Ambassador
2017-04-26 08:00 - 17:00 (Asia/Shanghai)
AMCHAM recently organised its annual Administrative Professional & Secretaries day on April 26, 2017. This event featured the values and the importance of the administrative professionals & secretaries to their subordinates and organizations.
We had close to 100 administrative professionals and secretaries comprising of members from AMCHAM and CCI France Malaysia – CCIFM that attended the program which featured experts from various industries sharing their ideas, experiences and useful tips with other professionals.
AMCHAM designed a special program by inviting a panel of speakers from various industries to speak on the following topics: The use of Google app tools effectively at workplace by Lava Protocols, Working effectively in a cross-cultural environment by Culture Boleh Global Training PLT, Managing stress – Balancing work-life vs personal life by Ramsay Sime Darby Medical Centre and Communication strategies to effectively work together in harmony by TalenXcel.
The event ended with a 1-hour workshop on Grooming for both men and women, which was conducted by Syahidah Rahman and her team from Bobbi Brown Cosmetics.
To spice things up, we drew lucky draw prizes throughout the whole session.
AMCHAM would like to thank our sponsors and partners for making this event a successful one.

AMCHAM Members Briefing : Introduction to U.S. Ambassador Kamala
2017-04-26 18:00 - 20:30 (Asia/Shanghai) | Official Residence of the U.S. Ambassador, 9, Jalan Langgak Golf, Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, 55000, Malaysia
You are invited to join us on April 26, 2017 at the U.S. Ambassador’s Residence from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m for AMCHAM’s Monthly Members’ Briefing and to a formal introduction to U.S. Ambassador Kamala Lakhdhir.
H.E. Kamala Lakhdhir, U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia will provide an update on U.S. issues and insights on the current business and economic issues affecting the U.S. business community in Malaysia.
Members are encouraged to attend this briefing followed by networking evening as this would be an excellent opportunity to meet fellow member and stay in tune with what’s happening on the ground as you meet with various industries.
This is a Member’s Only program where admission is complimentary. It is strictly on a first come, first served basis.
Please note that this program is off-the-record.
For any other queries, please contact Ms. Nadeeka Sarah at >a href=”mailto:nadeeka@amcham.com.my”>nadeeka@amcham.com.my or at 603 2283 3407.

Private Discussion with AON Hewitt’s Mollie Kohn
2017-04-28
Kuala Lumpur – More than 15 guests attended the briefing on Principal Hub by InvestKL and PwC. Speakers Jagdev Singh, Senior Executive Director at PwC, and Daniel Teng, Senior Director of Strategy, Advisory & Services at InvestKL, discussed Malaysia’s recent announcement of the Principal Hub incentive that aims to develop a regional hub in Kuala Lumpur by attracting some of the world’s best firms to the nation’s capital.
The new incentives, which will be implemented on 1 May 2015, was developed in recognition of the changing regional headquarters trends, global supply chain models, and the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). It aims to increase Malaysia’s competitiveness as a regional base and allows for improved operations and efficiency at reduced cost for MNCs seeking to establish headquarters in ASEAN. As stated by Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed, the Principal Hub incentive is a “game changer” and would allow Malaysia to attract higher levels of FDIs due to the strong business ecosystem it helps foster.
For more information on the structure of Principal Hub and the pertaining incentives, please contact InvestKL at info@investKL.gov.my.

President Donald J. Trump's 100 Days in Office: Where Are We At?
2017-05-03 14:00 - 16:00 (Asia/Shanghai)
The 100th day of Trump’s presidency was on April 29, 2017. To mark this day, AMCHAM invited speakers with experience in global, regional and local political economic affairs to share their views on Trump’s journey, his administration and its impact on Malaysia.
Audience was given a brief background on how and why Trump won the Presidency, followed by Trump’s administration and his policies. The positions in his administration are still open and his cabinet has very little government experience which is very similar to his background.
His trade agenda is still much to be determined on new enforcements and new trade agreements. Though multilateral trade is preferred in the global chain system, this administration seems to prefer bilateral trade. With the withdrawal of U.S. from the TPP, the speaker informed the audience that the remaining 11 countries have the option of going ahead with the TPP without the U.S. and at at the same time, they could do a FTA with the U.S. on an individual basis. The other option was for them to move to Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Generally, there is still much uncertainty.
The speakers felt that the diplomatic, political ties and trading partnership with Malaysia will remain strong and there will continue to be focus on Asia as the Trump administration has made visits to this part of the world.
AMCHAM would like to thank the speakers, Steve Okun (Director of Asia Pacific Public Affairs at KKR); Professor Dr Roy Anthony Rogers (Senior Lecturer & Head, Department of International and Strategic Studies, University of Malaya); Dato’ Steven CM Wong (Deputy Chief Executive at Institute of Strategic and International Studies, Malaysia) and Hans Vrien (Managing Partner at Vriens & Partners).

5th Annual Shared Services and Outsourcing Week Malaysia
2017-05-16 09:00 - 2017-05-17 17:30 (Asia/Shanghai)
Transforming Your Shared Services Centre into a Strategic Business Partner by Moving up the Value Chain
We’re back! The 5th Annual Shared Services & Outsourcing Week Malaysia returns to Kuala Lumpur on 16 – 17 May 2017. We will be gathering the most respected industry leaders to showcase and exchange best practice on how you can take your shared services to greater heights through enhanced value add and efficiency.
Key Highlights at this event include:
– Take a trip with Petronas to learn how to fast track end-to-end process standardisation within 12 months
– Learn how British American Service Centre unlocked value from processes to increase productivity efficiency by 40% within 12 months
– Hear Digi share their secret to improving their bottom line by over 250 million ringgit within a year by driving forward new projects, initiatives & technologies in shared services
– Transforming your business through RPA – ANZ’s journey: Where We Have Been & Where Are We Headed?
– United Nations Development Program (UNDP) shares their case study on building a social media recruitment strategy to attract top talent in Malaysia’s competitive labour market
Also featuring:
– 2 indepth workshops on Shared Services 101 and Optimising Talent Management
– 2 exclusive site tours to PETRONAS and Standard Chartered
And members of AmCham Malaysia can receive 10% off the conference price. For more information please email enquiry@ssonetwork.com or call +65 6722 9388
Organizer:

Briefing on TalentCorp's New Initiative APEC-YouthConnect Program
2017-05-18
Sourcing for skilled talent remains a key challenge for most organizations in Malaysia. Unskilled graduates and brain drain are some of the factors contributing to this shortage. To help address these setbacks faced by the employers, Talentcorp has initiated the ‘MyAPEC Youth Connect’ Programme.
This initiative was launched on 18 October 2016 and AMCHAM members had the privilege of getting insight to this initiative through Ms Farah Delah Suhaimi, Manager, Industry Partnership, who is the ‘driver’ of this programme .
The work environment today allows its employees to work across borders and within the South East Asia itself; Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore account for almost all of the migrant flow. Targetting youth between the ages of 21 -30, the objective of this initiative is to raise awareness of APEC economies among youth in the region and promote cultural exchange, skills & technology transfer and connectivity between Malaysia and APEC economies
Citizens of APEC economies will be able work in Malaysia in value added jobs, with leading employers, and likewise Malaysians working with leading employers with presence in APEC economies are able to have short term work stint overseas with respective employers.
Talentcorp shall facilitate the process by providing the pool of candidates from the APEC region, provide the branding and networking platform for Companies, provide supporting letter for visa application (for inbound candidates) and sponsor the fights of candidates (for outbound only).
Since its launch, forty companies have signed up and companies who are interested may call Ms Farah of Talentcorp.

Spotlight session by LHAG Insights on “Aggressive” Tax Planning
2017-05-19
Mr. Saravana Kumar, Partner at Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill shared his valuable insights on the “Aggressive” Tax Planning to some 25 members of AMCHAM at our northern chapter on May 19, 2017.
Mr Sara enlightened attendees on the recent insights on tax audits and investigations with a focus on manufacturing industry considering most of the attendees comprised of the E&E sector. He spoke about the recent judicial review on tax matters, taxation of land transactions, Director’s liability, transfer pricing, withholding tax and many others related topics.
AMCHAM would like to thank both Sara and Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill for sponsoring our last series of Spotlight Session. Thank you to all our members as well for their participation and we look forward to having more events for our northern chapter.

Insights into Inland Revenue Board's Recent Tax Audits & Investigations
2017-05-19 02:00 - 15:45 (Asia/Shanghai)
Join us on May 19, 2017 from 2pm – 3.45pm at the Hotel Equatorial Penang to learn more about the ‘Aggressive’ Tax Planning.
The Inland Revenue Board (IRB) has recently set up the Aggressive Tax Planning Department, whose core focus is to target MNCs. What is meant by aggressive tax planning and is this allegation of MNCs avoiding tax a fair statement?
Our speaker, Mr S. Saravana Kumar, a tax lawyer with the distinction of representing many MNCs in tax and customs disputes will share his insights on the following:
The role of the Aggressive Tax Planning Department:-
Is a Labuan business structure an indication of tax avoidance?
New issues in transfer pricing disputes
Withholding tax and its correlation with services rendered abroad
Creation of permanent establishment
Attempts to restrict capital allowance, industrial building allowance, reinvestment allowance and investment tax allowance claims
Deductibility of inter group management fee and interest expenses
Customs valuation and classification issues
Sales tax fraud and its implications on MNCs
Rejection of special sales tax refund
Event Details:
Date: May 19, 2017 (Friday)
Time: 2pm – 3.45pm (Registration starts at 1.30pm)
Venue: Hotel Equatorial Penang, Jalan Bukit Jambul, 11900 Penang
This session is FREE for Members and due to space limitation, only 2 representatives per company is allowed. Kindly register early to book your seat!?
For further clarifications, on this program please contact Ms Nadeeka Sarah at nadeeka@amcham.com.my

About Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill
The firm Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill is a multi-practice law firm committed to provide personalised legal solutions to businesses including GLCs. An established name in the Malaysian legal landscape, the firm consists of more than 100 lawyers specialising in various aspects of corporate and commercial law. Tax, GST & Customs Practice Our practice team consists of highly rated and awarded thought leaders in the field of tax. Our tax partners, Datuk D.P. Naban and Mr S. Saravana Kumar are ranked as leading tax lawyers in Malaysia.
What is ‘Spotlight Session’? This is a unique platform for companies to introduce or feature products, services and inspiring information to the AMCHAM audience in a most immediate way. By addressing a small but intensive audience, the Spotlight Session is an ideal environment for high impact involvement and direct interaction.

Talent Management in Today's Digital Age - PENANG
2017-05-19 03:45 - 17:00 (Asia/Shanghai)
The increasing importance of social media and the Internet by the younger generation may have to see companies changing their ways to manage and retain talents in their organisation. A new wave of digital tools can help companies to focus not only on hiring but also on managing, retaining, and developing employees.
Join us on May 19, 2017 from 3.45pm – 5pm at the Hotel Equatorial Penang on Talent Management in Today’s Digital Age. Gain insights on how companies develop the talent they need with the skills sets they currently lack, understanding how organisation are prioritising talent development investments and what is the future of work especially with digital disruption which will inevitably change the workforce mix.

TPP & The U.S. Presidential Elections: An Insider's Look Program with Steve Okun, Director, Public Affairs - Asia Pacific of Kohlberg Kravis Robert & Co. L.P. (KKR)
2017-05-23
AMCHAM organized a briefing on May 23, 2016, by Steve R. Okun, Director, Public Affairs – Asia Pacific of Kohlberg Kravis Robert & Co. L.P. (KKR). An in-depth discussion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the 2016 U.S. presidential election by Steve was well received by the members who raised questions throughout the 90 minute session. Steve provided an overview of how the election system works but was silent on any predictions …
Some of the other areas that was discussed were cross border data transfer, plain packaging and many other topics, some related to The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement and the current candidates’ positions on trade on the campaign trail.

AMCHAM Hosts the Malaysian Prime Minister and the U.S Ambassador to Malaysia
2017-07-11 19:00 - 22:00 (Asia/Shanghai) | Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur, Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, Kuala Lumpur, 50088, Malaysia
Marking 60 years the bilateral relationship between the U.S. and Malaysia, AMCHAM is honoured to have the company of the Honourable Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak, Prime Minister of Malaysia and H.E. Kamala Shirin Ladhkhir, U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia,at a signature dinner marking this exceptional relationship.
You are invited to join us on July 11, 2017 from 7.00pm – 10.00pm for this remarkable occasion where the giants of the relationship, Chamber members and friends of AMCHAM will gather to celebrate and further cement what has been a successful and positive history.
The evening will bring together senior leaders and top executives of the international business community in Malaysia and the region. Be part of the celebration and learn more about Malaysia burgeoning economy as it continues towards fulfilling the objectives of Vision TN50.
Non-Members are most welcome to attend.
If you are interested to become a sponsor, please contact Ms. Nadeeka Sarah at 03 2283 3407 or email nadeeka@amcham.com.my.

U.S. Independence Day Gala Dinner - Penang
2017-07-12 18:30 - 22:00 (Asia/Shanghai) | Grand Ballroom, Hotel Equatorial Penang, 1, Jalan Bukit Jambul, Bayan Lepas, Penang, Bayan Lepas, Penang, 11900, Malaysia
To celebrate America’s 241st Independence Day, the American Malaysia Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM), in collaboration with our partners, First Solar, Jabil, Hotel Equatorial Penang, Plexus, Venessa Diamonds and Smart Modular Technologies will again celebrate this special occasion on July 12, 2017 at the Hotel Equatorial Penang with the presence of H.E. the U.S. Ambassador Kamala Lakhdhir and the Penang Chief Minister, the Right Honorable Lim Guan Eng.
This event is fully supported by the U.S. Embassy in demonstrating the growing strength of the bilateral relationship between Malaysia and the United States and to support a worthy cause which would benefit less fortunate children. Last year, a sum of RM178,200 was raised and channelled to Dreamz Foundation, Tech Dome Penang, and the AMCHAM Scholarship Fund. For this year, we have identified charity organisations for the event, namely School For Mentally Retarded Children Dato Keramat, Penang Ru Yi Home Association, and more to be identified.
We would, therefore, like to take this opportunity to appeal for your kind support for this Gala Dinner in celebration of U.S Independence Day and also fundraising for charity causes by taking up one of the sponsorship packages which we have available. We sincerely hope that you would extend your support to make this event a success.
If you are interested to become a sponsor, please contact the sponsorship management team, Ms. Ving Leong at 04 401 6776 or email ving.kh.leong@firstsolar.com or Ms. Nadeeka Sarah at 03 2283 3407 or email nadeeka@amcham.com.my.

The 14th Edition of Asia IoT Business Platform in Malaysia
2017-07-27 09:00 - 2017-07-28 17:00 (Asia/Shanghai) | Hotel Istana Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 73, Jalan Raja Chulan, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, Kuala Lumpur, 50200, Malaysia
Asia IoT Business Platform will be returning to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for its 14th edition from July 27 – 28, 2017. Taking place at Hotel Istana Kuala Lumpur, the event will continue to play its important role of connecting Internet of Things (IoT) solutions provider with their prospective buyers and partners in Malaysia through business matchmaking and private networking activities.
The 14th edition of Asia IoT Business Platform in Malaysia will feature esteemed speakers from end-user companies (buyers) including:
Peter Leong, Head – Group & Regional IT, Petronas Lubricants International
S M Sabri Ismail, EVP Analytics & Intelligence, Prasarana Malaysia Berhad
Fazilah Shaik Allaudin, Head – eHealth Planning Unit, Ministry of Health
If you are interested in meeting your potential buyers and partners for your business development in Malaysia and to explore your business options with us, please contact Zaidani at zaidani@industry-platform.com for more information.
Download full program agenda: http://bit.ly/2pvFUSp
Register Here(AMCHAM Members will receive a 25% discount with promo code ‘AMCHAMMY2017’).

PEMUDAH Discussion on Public-Private Partnership
2017-08-15 09:00 - 12:00 (Asia/Shanghai) | AMCHAM Executive Office, Level 10 Bangunan Faber Imperial Court Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, 50250, Malaysia
AMCHAM invites you to an exclusive program about PEMUDAH that will give you insights into an important organization focused on business to government engagement.
Please join us as we welcome Tan Sri Saw Choo Boon, Co-Chair PEMUDAH and David Anthony Jones, Chairman of PEMUDAH Focus Group on Public Relations on Tuesday, August 15 from 9 am – 12 pm at AMCHAM’s Executive Office.
Learn more about this important aspect of business in Malaysia and about Public-Private Partnerships through PEMUDAH. It is also a chance for you to exchange views in light of the current business environment.
Our Speakers will brief members on: –
• History of PEMUDAH,
• It’s objectives,
• Who are their members
• Focus groups under PEMUDAH as well as it’s efficiency improvements
• Malaysia’s performance in doing business report in the past few years
The working groups and the task force within PEMUDAH address efficiency of the public service delivery system as well as government policies and their impact on businesses. The PEMUDAH team now comprises 15 heads of government ministries and departments, 11 business leaders and 40 co-opted members from the public sector. Current PEMUDAH Chairman is Tan Sri Ali Hamsa (Chief Secretary of Government) and co-chaired by Tan Sri Saw Choo Boon.
We also would like to invite you to submit questions in advance to make this discussion opportunity more productive. Please send your questions to gr@amcham.com.my by August 7, 2017

Members' Briefing - Update by the U.S. Embassy
2017-08-23 18:00 - 20:30 (Asia/Shanghai) | International SOS Sdn Bhd, B-15, Menara NU2, 203 Jalan Tun Sambanthan - KL Sentral, , Kuala Lumpur, 50470, Malaysia
You are invited to join us on August 23, 2017, from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m at International SOS for AMCHAM’s Monthly Members’ Briefing. Ramzi Toubassy, CEO of AmMetLife will deliver his first Opening remarks as the newly elected President followed by an introduction and a short Site Tour of the facilities by David Ng, General Manager of International SOS our host this month.
Nat Turner, Economic Counsellor from the U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur will provide an overview of the current business and economic issues impacting business in Malaysia, recent visits and activity at the US Embassy.
Members are encouraged to attend this briefing followed by networking evening as this would be an excellent opportunity to meet other fellow members and stay in tune with what’s happening on the ground as you meet with various industries.
This is a Members Only program where admission is complimentary. Due to space limitation, seats are on a first come, first serve basis. At the moment, only 2 representatives per company are allowed.
Please note that this program is off-the-record.
For any other queries, please contact Ms. Nadeeka Sarah at nadeeka@amcham.com.my or at 603 2283 3407

Malaysia Launch of the ASEAN Business Outlook Survey (ABOS)-U.S. Business Perspectives of Southeast Asia
2017-09-13 15:30 - 17:30 (Asia/Shanghai) | AMCHAM Executive Office, Level 10 Bangunan Faber Imperial Court Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, 50250, Malaysia
AMCHAM invites you to the Malaysia launch of the ASEAN Business Outlook Survey (ABOS) on Wednesday, September 13 from 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. at the AMCHAM Executive Offices.
We are honored to have Y. Bhg. Datuk Seri J. Jayasiri, Secretary General, Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) join us for this event along with Belinda Ford, Public Affairs & Communication Director, Coca Cola and Nat Turner, Economic Counselor, U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. Hazlyn Aidzil, Lead Analyst for ABOS, AmCham Singapore will present the findings of this report. We look forward to a robust discussion of Malaysia’s position in the region.
Each year AMCHAM, in collaboration with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other AmChams in the region, surveys business executives from U.S. companies across ASEAN about their perspectives on the business environment and opportunities in Southeast Asia. The findings are presented in an annual publication, the ASEAN Business Outlook Survey (ABOS). These findings are presented to government representatives in closed-door discussions and at the annual ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting.
Respondents of the survey, because they are charged with making investment decisions on behalf their companies, have a significant influence on the development of the region. With foreign direct investment from the U.S. into ASEAN representing the largest volume of any nation in the region and, as U.S. – ASEAN trade volume continues to grow rapidly, the perspectives of these senior business leaders make ABOS a reliable source for insights on business opportunities and sentiments in ASEAN.

AMCHAM-BMCC Business Speed Dating
2017-09-26 15:30 - 17:30 (Asia/Shanghai) | Tujo Bar-serrie & Grill, No.9 Jalan Pinang , Kuala Lumpur , Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, 50450 , Malaysia
AMCHAM, together with the British Malaysian Chamber of Commerce, bringing to you an evening of serious business networking. This SPEED DATING session is a fun opportunity to meet the members from BMCC and increase your business contacts. Come join us by registering below and we look forward to seeing you!
HOW IT WORKS:

Each attendee will have the opportunity to network with other like-minded professional business individuals in a “musical chairs” format without the music or the chairs! Standing and facing each other, forming an outer circle and an inner circle, it is a speedy way to connect
Each person will have 60-90 seconds to introduce themselves and talk a little business.
Then each person in the outer circle moves to their right and meets the next person.

By the end of the speed networking time, everyone will have met everybody. Come ready with your sharpest pitch and business cards! You never know if you find your next business or project, collaborator, client or customer.
Event Details:-
Date: September 26, 2017 (Tuesday)
Time: 3.30pm – 5.30pm (Registration starts at 3.30pm)
Venue: Tujo Bar-serrie & Grill,
No 9 Jalan Pinang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur
Cost:-
Member: RM100.00 (Inclusive of 6% GST)
Non-Member: RM150.00 (Inclusive of 6% GST)
Price is inclusive of finger food & two drinks (soda/beer/wine)
For further clarification, please contact Ms. Elyna Ngu at elyna@amcham.com.my

Climbing Day organized by MNZCC
2017-10-01 10:30 - 12:30 (Asia/Shanghai) | Camp 5, One Utama, Malaysia
Exclusively for MNZCC and AMCHAM Members & their families – RM50 per head – Limited to 40 pax (Adults & Kids Above 8 Years Old)
* 2 Hours of Team Bonding Session
* 1 Hour Fun Climbing + 1 Hour Mini Competition
* Consists of 4 Teams for 4 Different Challenges!!
* Fun-Filled Kids Party Session
* 10% Discount Coupon!!
* Certificate of Participation
For more information, please contact the MNZCC Secretariat at 03-2724 0354 or email at mnzcc@mnzcc.org.my

Members' Briefing
2017-10-03 17:30 - 20:00 (Asia/Shanghai) | Official Residence of the U.S. Ambassador, 9, Jalan Langgak Golf, Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, 55000, Malaysia
You are invited to join us on October 3, 2017, from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m at the US Ambassador’s Residence for AMCHAM’s Monthly Members’ Briefing. Registration will begin at 5.30 p.m.
H.E. Kamala Shirin Lakhdhir, US Ambassador to Malaysia, will provide an overview of the current business and economic issues impacting business in Malaysia, including any recent visits and activity at the US Embassy. Hear also about what’s happening at AMCHAM.
Members are encouraged to attend this briefing followed by networking evening as this would be an excellent opportunity to meet other fellow members and stay in tune with what’s happening on the ground as you meet with various industries.
This is a Members Only program where admission is complimentary. Due to space limitation, seats are on a first come, first serve basis. At the moment, only two (2) representatives per company are allowed.
Please note that this program is off-the-record.
For any other queries, please contact Ms. Elyna Ngu at elyna@amcham.com.my
