COMPETITIVENESS INFOLINE I N F O L I N E : SUNDAY, APRIL 3, 201 6 0 2 / 2 0 1 6 PM: UTC PROOF OF GOV ERNMENT’S IRI: The Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) is the best example for the people to witness the good things the government has done for them and Mthey should judge the government with their eyes and facts, instead of believing the rumours spread via the social media, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. “After the launch of the first UTC in Melaka in 2012, all 12 UTCs nationwide, had registered 11.5 million customers in 2015 alone, and I am proud to say that we have done rather extraordinarily in innovating Najib signing the plaque to symbolically mark the opening of our delivery system. the UTC Miri while looking on are (from left) Lee, Jabu, “I think this is the best example that as the bringing the public amenities and services of private government, we have put our foot forward in sectors closer for the benefit of the people.” bringing the best to the people. We do not play politics (“tidak main politik”), nor play the politic of The launch of UTC Miri as the 13th centre in the hatred and even more so, absolutely no fabricated country was also witnessed by Datin Paduka Seri story and defamatory postings on the social Rosmah Mansor, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan media,” he said in his speech during the launch of Sri Adenan Satem who was represented by Minister UTC Miri yesterday. of Infrastructure Development and Communication Dato Sri Michael Manyin; Minister of Women, Najib reiterated that UTC is part of the National Family and Community Development Datuk Seri Blue Ocean Strategy (NBOS) which was introduced Rohani Abdul Karim; Deputy Chief Minister Datuk to improve the quality of services through strategic Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang; State partnerships between government agencies and Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Morshidi Abdul the private sector. Ghani; Communications Assistant Minister Datuk Lee Kim Shin, Mayor Lawrence Lai, among others “More important, it breaks down the barrier who attended the ceremony. between core government agencies as well as INFOLINE: 02/2016 COMPETITIVENESS INFOLINE I N F O L I N E : TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 2016 0 2 / 2 0 1 6 GOVT ALLOCATES RM60M AS R&D AND COMMERCIALISATION GRANTS UALA LUMPUR: The government via Malaysian Technology Development Corp (MTDC) Sdn Bhd has allocated RM60 million as grants for research and Kdevelopment (R&D) and product commercialisation for 2016. Of the amount, RM40 million is for commercialisation of the local R&Dfund, the technology acquisition fund (RM10 million) and business start-up fund (RM10 million). MTDC chief executive officer Datuk Norhalim Yunus said the funds are crucial for local companies to expand their businesses at home and in the global market. Datuk Norhalim Yunus MTDC Chief Executive oOficer "The agency will act as a mediator to push for more collaboration between local and foreign companies. This is especially for the transfer of technology and opportunities to find partners in entering new In the 11th Malaysia Plan, the Government markets," he told reporters on the sidelines of the doubled grants for R&D and commercialisation to Business Meeting Asia 2016 in Kuala Lumpur on RM500 million, compared with RM297 million in Tuesday. the 10th Plan. MTDC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Khazanah Meanwhile, the one-day Business Meeting Asia Nasional Bhd, is in charge of promoting the 2016, co-organised by MTDC and Korea's Asian adoption of technologies by local companies via Science Park Association (ASPA) attracted 34 commercialisation of R&D or acquisition of foreign foreign companies from South Korea, Japan, technologies. Hong Kong and Taiwan. INFOLINE: 02/2016 T H E S T A R FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2016 More than 30 local companies from various clusters, namely information, communication and technology, biotech, electronics, robotics, healthcare and machinery, also participated. ASPA secretary-general Dr Sunkook Kwon said the organisation holds one or more multilateral business meetings annually in the Asian region with the participation of small and medium enterprises. "Companies are able to seek partnerships, which can create a synergy effect in the international market, with the advantage of rapidly adjusting to the changes in high technology and sprawl out anywhere in the world," he said in his opening speech. In a separate update, MTDC is expected to manage the halal technology development fund, to be announced next month. At present, MTDC is managing five government funds involving R&D and commercialisation. COMPETITIVENESS INFOLINE I N F O L I N E : WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 2016 0 2 / 2 0 1 6 SHORTER CUSTOMS INSP ECTION FOR PASSENGERS, THANKS TO SHARED CIQ FACILITIES ETALING JAYA: Passengers taking the from Iskandar Puteri (formerly Nusajaya) to planned non-stop High-Speed Rail (HSR) Jurong East. P service from Bandar Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur to Jurong East, Singapore, can expect the Like the Express, the Shuttle service also has co- experience to be much like a 90-minute flight. located CIQ facilities in both countries. They will have their luggage X-rayed and undergo body scans just like at airports. But they will only “The fare for the Express service will be left need to clear the Customs, Immigration and entirely to market for­ces,” said Mohd Azharuddin quarantine (CIQ) checks of both countries once as Mat Sah, CEO of the Land Public Transport the CIQ facilities will be co-located in both Bandar Commission (SPAD), who added that it will be Malaysia and Jurong East. deregulated like airline fares. “This is just like taking the Eurostar (connecting “You will see dynamic pricing, which varies London and Paris), where passengers undergo all the checks before boarding. according to the day of the week, as well as the time of the day,” said Mohd Nur. “When they arrive at their destination, they just walk off the train,” said Mohd Nur Ismal Kamal, He explained that it was not possible to pin down chief executive officer of MyHSR Corporation Sdn the fares now as it would be up to the operator to Bhd, the company responsible for the development determine the level of fares that best optimised and promotion of the bilateral project expected to ridership and profitability. see commercial services from 2026. The third type of HSR service will be the Domestic Speaking at a media briefing ahead of the inking of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) by service that stops at Putrajaya, Seremban, Ayer Malaysia and Singapore, he said the non-stop Keroh, Muar, Batu Pahat and Iskandar Puteri. service would also be called the Express service, and its operator would also operate the Shuttle service INFOLINE: 02/2016 T H E S T A R WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 2016 Passengers who get off at Iskandar Puteri can still get to Singapore by boarding the Shuttle service, though the entire journey (if starting from Kuala Lumpur) can be “slightly more than two hours”. The Domestic plus Shuttle service to Singapore may be 50 minutes longer than the Express. However, MyHSR and SPAD are keeping mum on the exact travel times for the domestic services, saying they need to allow the operator, OpCo Domestic, flexibility. INFOLINE: 02/2016 COMPETITIVENESS INFOLINE I N F O L I N E : FRIDAY, AUGUST 12, 2016 0 2 / 2 0 1 6 RM30BIL INVESTMENTS TO BE APPROVED UALA LUMPUR: Some RM30bil worth of investments into Malaysia’s manufacturing sector will be approved by the end of this year, said International KTrade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed. “We are targeting to achieve this throughout the second half of this year. We are still seeing a steady flow of foreign direct investment (FDI) into the sector, which should be finalised and approved by the end of the year,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the Affin Hwang Capital Conference Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed Series 2016, which was held here on Thursday. International Trade and Industry Minister In his keynote speech, Mustapa noted that FDI into Mustapa pointed out. the country had steadily grown over the years, underscoring the robustness of the country’s “Malaysia’s growth remains sustainable while our economy. fiscal deficit targets are being met year after year. “We are also no longer dependent on oil earnings, Between 2011 and 2015, net FDI averaged as they now make up only 14% of total Government RM35.8bil. Last year, the country recorded an all- revenue,” he said. time high FDI of RM43.44bil as more corporations began setting up regional hubs in the country. Commenting on the recent round of layoffs by As at the first quarter of this year, RM37.4bil worth multinational corporations operating in Malaysia, of investments had been approved. Mustapa said that the country’s unemployment rate remained low at 3.2%. Similarly, total investments, driven mainly by the private sector, had accelerated at a compounded “However, we are aware that the job market has rate of 8.3% per annum over the past five years, INFOLINE: 02/2016 T H E S T A R FRIDAY, AUGUST 12, 2016 become more challenging. Some retrenchments are necessary for companies that are undertaking a serious restructuring or due to new technological developments. “It is not necessarily a consequence of what is happening with the global economy,” he said. Mustapa added that over the next two years, some 160,000 new jobs will be created in the manufacturing sector alone thanks to new FDI, which will more than offset the expected 15,000 jobs to be lost from retrenchments. Among the latest major investments made this year include UMW Holdings Bhd and Rolls-Royce’s RM830mil investment to manufacture and INFOLINE: 02/2016 COMPETITIVENESS INFOLINE I N F O L I N E : WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2016 0 2 / 2 0 1 6 ‘MORE COMPANIES SHOU LD ADOPT FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENTS, SAYS TALENTCORP UALA LUMPUR: More Malaysian resource experts, who examines the factors and companies should look into trends driving future changes in the workplace and implementing flexible work arrangement what it means in managing talent and human (FWA) as a survey result had shown that resource more effectively.