KUALA LUMPUR — Australia’s Victorian state government is keen to make
Malaysia as a springboard into Southeast Asia by leveraging on good
relationships as well as the country’s highly skilled human resources.
Victorian Minister for Regional and Rural Development, Skills and
Workforce Participation, Jacinta Allan, said the opening of its
Government Business Office here today was timely to further strengthen
relationships.
“Victoria and Malaysia share a common interest in advanced
manufacturing industries that emphasise on design, particularly
automotive, medical devices, precision instrumentation and aerospace,”
she told reporters at the launch.
“We particularly have good collaboration in tourism and education,” she said.
Kuala Lumpur marked the 12th office, adding to those in London, New
York, Chicago, San Francisco, Dubai, Tokyo, Frankfurt, Shanghai, Hong
Kong, Nanjing and Bangalore.
Victorian government commissioner for Southeast Asia, Tim Dillon, said
Malaysia could also tap niche areas like the provision of halal
products.
“Australia has a Muslim population of about 350,000 and Victorian food
and beverage producers are positioning themselves to cater for this
market domestically and internationally,” he said.
In terms of food and beverages, the state contributed about 13 per cent
of the world’s dairy products, offering potential for Malaysian
companies to explore.
Dillon said the new office would organise trade missions for Victorian
companies to come to Malaysia and look at trade opportunities in the
country as well as around the region.
Victoria, located in southeast Australia, occupies only three per cent
of the country land mass but makes up 25 per cent of the country’s
economy.
Malaysia is currently the state’s ninth largest import source and ninth largest export destination for merchandise goods.
In terms of foreign direct investment into Australia, Malaysian companies invested about A$5 billion last year.
— BERNAMA