KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 31 (Bernama) -- Association of Southeast Asean (Asean) envoys based in Malaysia are
looking forward towards the establishment of the "Asean Community"
(AC) in 2015, marking the year when Malaysia will chair the 10-member bloc.
They are confident that under Malaysia's chairmanship,
Asean members would reach a new level of cooperation. The AC is expected to
materialise by December 2015.
Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia Herman Prayitno said
that both Indonesia and Malaysia have been preparing for the setting up of the
AC in 2015, especially the Asean Economic Community (AEC).
"That year will be very important for Malaysia as
it is when the country will assume the Chairmanship of Asean. We are fully
confident that under Malaysia's chairmanship, all Asean member states are
prepared to enter a new era as a community," said the envoy in his
"New Year Message" on bilateral ties.
The Asean Community has three key pillars -- Political
and Security community, Economic community and Socio-Cultural community. All
three aspects are closely intertwined and mutually reinforcing, aimed at
ensuring durable peace, stability and achieving a shared prosperity in the
region.
However, the envoy noted that the focus was on the AEC
which would see the region emerging into a dynamic single market and production
base.
Other key characteristics of the AEC include a highly
competitive economic region, a region of equitable economic development, and
one fully integrated into the global economy.
Singapore's High Commissioner to Malaysia Ong Keng
Yong said that Singapore was looking forward to working together to realise the
aspirations of the Asean Community as Malaysia takes over the chairmanship of
the association.
"Malaysia is already preparing to take
cooperation within Asean to a new level," he told Bernama in an email
interview.
Next year, it will be Myanmar's turn to chair the
10-member association comprising Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos,
Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Brunei was
the chair for 2013.
On bilateral cooperation, Ong said that Malaysia also
continued to participate in Singapore's development and growth, including
through joint projects, noting that Malaysian companies have invested in the
Singapore market as they expanded their global operations.
In addition, he said that Singapore businesses are
looking at investing in economic corridors elsewhere in Peninsular Malaysia and
Sabah and Sarawak.
Meanwhile, European ambassadors said they hope to
enhance trade relations with Malaysia.
Norwegian Ambassador Hans Ola Urstad said that he was
very optimistic that direct trade between Malaysia and Norway will expand,
especially in the oil and gas sector.
Norwegian interest in Malaysia's service sector stood
at nearly RM4.5 billion in 2013, he said in an email interview when asked to
comment on his hopes for 2014.
Urstad also said that the Norwegian "Government
Pension Fund Abroad," which is now the world's largest fund with international
assets totalling around RM2 trillion, has invested in nearly 80 Malaysian
businesses valued at RM5 billion.
The envoy hoped to see further development in trade,
services, businesses and investments between Malaysia and Norway in 2014,
pointing out that the Norwegian economy had withstood the financial crisis
"very well" and that Norway is now the 24th largest economy in the
world.
Poland's Ambassador to Malaysia Adam W Jelonek said
his country would like to see more connections with Malaysia and better
exchange of experiences, mainly in the halal industry and higher education.
"To just open the Malaysia market to the Polish,
I think it is the easiest part of work. For me, it is an ideal situation if we
could exchange our bilateral efforts to form joint venture companies and
exchange experiences in both fields," said Jelonek in an interview with
Bernama about his aspirations for the New Year.
On the halal industry, Jelonek said that Poland would
want to cooperate with Malaysia to access the country's halal industry,
explaining that Poland not only produces halal food but also has a variety of
halal cosmetic products, which are already gaining popularity in the Muslim
world.
"As both countries have engaged through the
exchange of expertise between Malaysia's Department of Islamic Development
(Jakim) and the Mufti of Poland, we hope Poland's window or European market for
the halal industry will bring more advantages to all of us," he said,
adding that Poland was among the few European countries which were granted
Jakim's halal certificate in 2011.
Danish Ambassador to Malaysia Nicolai Ruge noted that
Denmark and Malaysia have been listed in the World Bank's annual report as
being among the easiest countries in the world to do business in, scoring 5th
and 6th spots respectively.
Amid such positive ratings, he said that more Danish
companies are encouraged to start exploring potential markets in Malaysia.
Nabilah Saleh, Azzah Mohamad Som & Ismail Amsyar
Mohd Said
BERNAMA
Business & Investment Opportunities
Saigon Business Corporation Pte Ltd (SBC) is incorporated
in Singapore since 1994.
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