Since the topic of Foreign Direct Investment (FDIs) have been in the news lately, I thought it would be useful for me to pull back the curtain and share the challenges and opportunities in attracting FDI to Malaysia based on my one and a half years as the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI). In doing so, I hope to shine the spotlight on what needs to be done in order to continue to make Malaysia an attractive FDI destination in South East Asia. It is still not too late to reverse the mistakes made in the ONE year of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government and prevent Malaysia from turning into the new “Sick Man of Southeast Asia”.
MACC’s first prosecution under the corporate liability provision (Section 17A of the MACC Act) came about within 9 months of the enforcement of the said provision in June 2020, in contrast the equivalent legislation in the UK (Bribery Act 2010) took at least 5 years before its first prosecution. The MACC has made its intention clear, commercial organisations and its senior management cannot afford to sit back and adopt a lackadaisical attitude. Immediate steps should be taken to evaluate and assess the adequacy of existing anti-bribery and corruption initiatives.
PETALING JAYA, 22 March 2021 – Philip Morris (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (PMM) has been recognized as a Top Employer in Malaysia and the Asia Pacific region for the second year in a row by the Top Employers Institute.
PMM Managing Director Naeem Khan says: “These recognitions are testaments to our amazing people at PMM, whose resilience have brought us closer to the smoke-free future we envisioned for Malaysia despite a turbulent year. Undeterred by new challenges presented by the global pandemic, they continue to create positive impacts in the lives of the millions of adult smokers in Malaysia, as well as their families and the communities. The hard work and commitment displayed were undoubtedly the key to achieving our shared vision of a smoke-free future”.
“Everyone at PMM has an equal share in building a workplace that is collaborative and inclusive where all opinions are valued, and everyone has the same access to tools and opportunities which would help them excel in their professional career. We are the champion of a people-first culture and we attribute that to the recognition as the employer of choice in Malaysia and the Asia Pacific region.”
Top Employers Institute CEO David Plink says: “Despite the challenging year we have experienced (which has certainly made an impact on organisations around the globe), Philip Morris Malaysia has continued to demonstrate the power of putting their people first in the workplace. We are proud to make this year’s announcement and congratulate the organisations who have been certified in Asia Pacific through the Top Employers Institute programme.”
The Top Employers Institute programme certifies organisations based on the participation and results of their HR Best Practices Survey. This survey covers 6 HR domains consisting of 20 topics such as People Strategy, Work Environment, Talent Acquisition, Learning, Well-being and Diversity & Inclusion and more. Each year, Top Employers Institute certifies organisations who are focused on putting their people first through their exceptional HR policies. The programme has certified and recognised more than 1 600 Top Employers in 120 countries/regions across five continents.
To welcome the new U.S. Ambassador, Brian McFeeters to Malaysia, AMCHAM and the US-ASEAN Business Council held a virtual meeting on 26 March to familiarize the Ambassador with the American business community in Malaysia.
Joining this session was approximately 130 representatives from the combined memberships who were also provide perspectives and insights to the Ambassador about their respective sectors.
While everyone is looking forward to the time when it is possible to meet in person, this initial engagement was useful and appreciated by the community. Topics raised during this session include the increasing digitization in business and the economy, future trade discussions as the Biden administration shapes it policies, contributions of U.S. companies to the investment landscape and the training and community work that are hallmarks of US investments.
The U.S. Embassy works support the American business community and its citizens in Malaysia and engagements like these are appreciated by all.
Modern smart technologies have already been incorporated in many American companies both in Malaysia and in the U.S., enhancing traditional manufacturing and industrial practices. On 24th March 2021, AMCHAM in partnership with the U.S. Commercial Service held a webinar showcasing the technology of U.S. industry innovation, and how it can be a contributor to Malaysia’s 4th Industrial Revolution (IR4.0).
This session featured both Virtual and Augmented Reality technologies by our guest speakers and how they have incorporated it into their organizations. This virtual event featured opening remarks by Siobhan Das, CEO, AMCHAM, followed by Dennis Simmons, Senior Commercial Officer, U.S Embassy Kuala Lumpur, and a keynote address by the new U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia, Mr. Brian McFeeters.
Roberto Galbiati, Regional Director, Southeast Asia Sales of Realwear, kicked off the presentations by providing insights into how Virtual, Augmented, and Assisted Realities have changed the factory landscape. Devon Copley, CEO of AVATOUR along with Hatta Idris, Operations Manager at Kellogg’s Malaysia then gave a showcase of Virtual Reality technology being used, live to the audience, featuring at a manufacturing plant of Kellogg’s here in Malaysia.
Concluding the event was a panel discussion on Virtual Reality in Manufacturing, featuring Havene Liew, Founder of XR Associates, Mohan Low, Head of Digital Creative Content at MDEC, Dr. Andrew Yew, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Ministry XR, and VKK Teagarajan, President at I.R 4.0 Association. Matthew Schultz, Director of Operations Asia Pacific at Haskell moderated this discussion.
A great morning session with over 100 attendees and an in-depth look into the incorporation of these new smart technologies and how it is being utilized by manufactures. Special thanks to all of our speakers for making this event a success.
