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BUSINESS
New Opportunities
Malaysian Minister visits Hannover Messe
by Uwe Fischer
Dato’ Seri Ong Ka Chuan, the Minister of International
Trade & Industry II of Malaysia, in Germany: The
five-day programme also included visits to the Hannover
Messe.
At the world’s leading trade fair for industrial technology,
he held a bilateral meeting with Germany’s Minister
for Economic Affairs and Energy, Ms. Brigitte Zypries.
The two politicians talked about the possibilities of how
to further strengthen the economic ties between Malaysia
and Germany.
From left to right: Brigitte Zypries, Dato’ Seri Ong Ka Chuan,
Datuk Phang
The Minister also delivered a speech at “Forum ASE-
AN in 2017”. His key note “Taking New Opportunities
Through Trade Policy” treated the economic performance
of Malaysia and the ASEAN region. In particular,
Dato’ Seri Ong Ka Chuan emphasised the benefits of the
single market in form of the ASEAN Economic Community
(AEC). The forum was attended, among others, by
several Ambassadors of ASEAN countries to Germany.
During a guided tour on the Messe fairground, the
Minister’s delegation, which included the Deputy CEO
of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority
(MIDA), Datuk Phang Ah Tong, visited the robotation
academy and several high-tech companies such as
Weidmüller Interface, Pepperl + Fuchs, Bosch Rexroth
and Beckhoff Automation. SEW-Euro-drive, a market
leader in drive technology, which is currently building
a new factory in the Malaysian state of Johor, was also
visited by the high-ranking guest from Malaysia and
took the opportunity to discuss with him the progress of
the works. Besides companies, Dato’ Seri Ong Ka Chuan
took an interest in research institutes at the fair such as
the Fraunhofer Institute. Last but not least, the Minister
also met Malaysian exhibitors at the fair.
After his two days visit at Hanover Fair, Dato’ Seri Ong
Ka Chuan travelled to several companies all over Germany
to discuss their projects and plans for Malaysia
and the Asia-Pacific region. His programme included
From left to right: David Auras (MIDA Frankfurt), Badrul
Hisham Hilal (Trade Commissioner MATRADE Frankfurt),
Nils Wolters (MIDA Frankfurt), Minister Dato’ Seri
Ong Ka Chuan, Dato’ Zulkifli Adnan (Malaysian Ambassador
to Germany), Datuk Phang 8(Deputy CEO MIDA),
S. Siva (Director MIDA Frankfurt)
meetings with Hübner, a German rubber company that
has manufacturing operations in Malaysia, and IOI Oleo,
a Malaysian investment in Germany for oleo chemicals.
In Wolfsburg, the Minister enjoyed a guided tour of VW’s
state-of-the-art production facilities. Volkswagen has
several operations in Malaysia, including in the fields
of assembly, production and logistics. In Melsungen,
Dato’ Seri Ong Ka Chuan visited the company B. Braun,
a manufacturer of medical devices that has its largest
production site outside Melsungen in Penang, Malaysia.
In Bavaria the Minister met representatives of Siemens,
Mühlbauer and BMW, all of which operate large facilities
in Malaysia.
According to MIDA Frankfurt’s director Mr Siva, the
Minister’s visit was successful on various levels. “On a
political level, that was the bilateral meeting with Ms
Zypries which helped fostering the good relationship
between the two countries. Regarding the private sector,
the Minister was pleased to meet both Malaysian
companies that do business in Germany and German
companies that either already have operations in Malaysia
or plan to do business there in the future.”
28 8/2017 www.malaysia-insights.com