On 14 August, AMCHAM attended the grand opening of Insulet Corporation’s new manufacturing facility in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. As a global leader in tubeless insulin pump technology, Insulet’s expansion into Johor marks a significant milestone in its international growth.
The state-of-the-art facility will initially employ over 350 full-time staff, with plans to expand the workforce to over 1,000 in the coming years.
Designed with sustainability in mind, the facility aims to achieve both Green Building Index certification and LEED Silver certification, underscoring Insulet’s commitment to minimizing environmental impact across its global operations.
Congratulations to Insulet Corporation on the successful launch of your Malaysian facility!
In the recent case of Siemens Industry Software Inc. v Unicorn Solutions (M) Sdn Bhd, the High Court dealt with the issue of assessment of damages for copyright infringement in respect of unlicensed software under the Copyright Act 1987 (“CA 1987”).
Siemens initially sought RM58,188,396.00 (approximately USD12,480,084.93) on the purported basis that the unlicensed software could potentially access all modules in the NX Programmes, with the license fee for all modules totalling RM19,396,132.00 (approximately USD4,160,028.31) per computer.
The Court was “astounded” by the “whopping” amount claimed by Siemens and questioned Siemens whether every single customer subscribed to all those modules and actually paid the said amount. Catching the “drift” of the Court, Siemens subsequently reduced the amount claimed to RM2,208,573.00 (approximately USD473,688.58).
On 11 June 2024, during the Occupational Safety and Health Conference of the International Labour Organisation (“ILO”) in Geneva, Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong presented Malaysia’s instrument of ratification of the Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155) (“C155”) to the Director-General of the ILO for registration.
C155 applies to all branches of economic activity, with limited exceptions such as maritime and fishing. It covers all workers in applicable branches. Also, each member state is required to adopt a coherent national occupational and health (“OSH”) policy aimed at preventing accidents and injuries resulting from workplace hazards. When C155 enters into force for Malaysia, it will be obliged to take such steps as may be necessary to ensure compliance with the articles of that convention.
On 16 Jul 2024, Plexus Malaysia collaborated with Puspakom Sdn Bhd to conduct a surprise safety audit on 40 factory buses and vans. On top of biannual checks by PUSPAKOM, this additional inspection ensures that our company transportation adheres to regulations – the safety of Plexus people is their utmost priority.
Many thanks to PUSPAKOM for the partnership!
On 8 August 2024, AMCHAM hosted the second session of the Opportunity ASEAN Webinar Series. This exclusive series highlights lucrative investment opportunities across ASEAN nations, with this installment focusing on the Philippines and Thailand.
Heidi Gallant, Executive Director of AmCham Thailand, and Ebb Hinchliffe, Executive Director of AmCham Philippines, delivered insightful presentations on the key sectors, strategic entry points, and dynamic markets within their respective countries.
They pinpointed areas ripe for growth, expansion, and success, offering practical advice on where prospective investors should begin their journey in Thailand and the Philippines.
On August 7th, AMCHAM’s Energy Transition Committee (ETC) had the privilege of meeting with the Secretary General of the Ministry of Economy, YBhg. Dato’ Nor Azmie Bin Diron, and the ministry’s CCUS Coordination Unit. This productive courtesy visit aimed to deepen our understanding of the latest advancements in Malaysia’s Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS/CCS) industry.
We are grateful for the opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue and to gain insights into Malaysia’s strategic priorities and initiatives in CCUS. Our discussion highlighted the critical role of CCUS in aligning with the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) policy and underscored potential areas for collaboration.
We extend our sincere thanks to YBhg. Dato’ Nor Azmie Bin Diron and his team for their time, openness, and valuable perspectives. AMCHAM/ETC is committed to supporting Malaysia’s NETR policy and looks forward to ongoing collaboration to advance the CCUS sector.
