Key-note Address by Yang Amat Berhormat Tuan Lim Guan Eng , Chief Minister of Penang, at the Official Opening of FMM Penang Island Office at D’Piazza, Penang, on Monday, February 13, 2012.
It gives me great pleasure to be with you on the official opening of FMM Penang Island Office this morning. FMM and the FMM Institute have been in the forefront of engaging the Government on policy and implementation issues affecting the manufacturing sector in particular, and the industrial environment of our country in general. Your track record of constructive engagement with the Government to address the needs of industry through consultation is indeed commendable.
The setting of the FMM Penang Island Office is indeed a significant step to reflect your Penang identity. I look forward to your commitment to support the State Government and other related agencies to help make Penang the “location of choice” for investments.
The state government hopes by 2020 to equalise the tourism and manufacturing sectors which made up 39% and 52% respectively of the state’s GDP in 2010. The rationale is that a more balanced economic structure for the state will reduce its vulnerability to the fluctuations of the global business cycles.
In our drive to realize the state government’s vision, we have the following achievements on our scorecard. Among them are:
Penang ranks among the top in investments approved in 2010.
Penang International Airport is undergoing a RM250 million expansion to increase its passenger capacity to five million people.
Penang state government’s competency, accountability and transparency governance for anti-corruption efforts received commendation of Transparency International in 2010, and earned the distinction of being the best financially managed state in the country for three consecutive years by the Auditor-General.
Penang has been voted by Yahoo Travel as one of the top eight islands in the world to see before one dies, and the state’s green initiative including the ban on plastic bags daily.
In a global economy filled with debt crisis, Penang recorded the remarkable achievement of reducing our debts by 95% from RM630 million on 8 March 2008 to RM30 million at the end of 2011.
Penang is also the safest state in Malaysia with the highest reduction of 27% in crime index in the country among all states in 2010 and topped the country again for the first six months of this year with crime reduction of 26%.
Indeed, Penang state government is committed to leverage on Penang’s available human talent, supply chain, logistics and communications, strong intellectual property protection, non-corrupt governance, creativity and innovation in science and technology and liveable city environment to create the congenial industrial environment for future development of Penang.
Toward this end, Penang is pushing for high-value manufacturing in electronics, LEDs, medical devices, photovoltaic/solar, aerospace and avionics industries. Penang is also promoting and encouraging existing companies to move up the value chain to include research, design and development activities in software, hardware and firmware in their Penang operations.
The share of manufacturing sector in Malaysia grew from 24.6% of GDP in 1990 to 30.9% in 2000, and then fell to 27.4 by 2011. Malaysia must not neglect its manufacturing sector as this sector is a key foundation for a vibrant economy. One of the key reasons is that manufacturing sector creates demand for the growth of high-productivity services sub sector such as finance, telecommunications and transport. Secondly, some knowledge-intensive services which are spin-offs from the manufacturing production. Finally, manufacturing sector generates export surpluses which can finance imports.
In additional to manufacturing and related services, Penang state government wants to develop and promote Penang as the hub for shared services and outsourcing, particularly for business process outsourcing (BPO), information process outsourcing (IPO), and knowledge process outsourcing (KPO). In this connection, I welcome FMM member companies and their global business network to set up their regional headquarters here in Penang. Remember, Penang wants to create a sense of belonging, a sense of togetherness and a sense of ownership. To be an international and intelligent city Penang must not only be a global citizen but make you feel at home a place for everyone to live, learn, work, rest and play in a clean, green, safe and comfortable environment.
Now, it is my pleasure to officially open the FMM Penang Island Office. Thank you.
槟州首席部长林冠英于2012年2月13日出席大马厂商公会槟城分会新办公室开幕礼演讲摘要：
大马厂商公会在槟城设立办公室，对槟城确实是重要的一大步。我期待往后贵会与槟州政府及各相关机构的合作将续下去，以将槟城打造成投资者的首选地。
槟州政府希望在2020年能够平衡旅游业及制造业对槟州国内生产总值的贡献。在2010年，旅游业是槟州国内生产总值的39%，而制造业则占52%。理由是：一个较平衡的州经济结构将能够在全球商业周期的波动上，减少其脆弱性。
为了达致州政府这方面的宏愿，我们已成功达到下列的成就：
槟城在2010年度在全马投资额居冠。
槟城国际机场正在进行价值2亿5千万令吉的提升计划，以将其容量增至500万人次。
槟州政府的能干、公信、透明反贪施政方针，在2010年度获得国际透明组织的表扬，并连续3年获得国家总稽查司点名为财务管理表现最佳的州属。
槟城获得“雅虎旅游”票选为全球10大“有生之年必游之岛屿”，州政府这方面的绿化政策包括天天无免费塑料袋措施。
在全球经济面临债务危机的当儿，槟城州却创下了减债最高的记录。我们成功从2008年3月8日的6亿3千万令吉，减少95%至2011年的3千万令吉债务。
槟城也是马来西亚最安全的州属。在2010年犯罪指数跌了27%，成为全国犯罪指数下滑幅度最高的州属。而2011年我们更再次居榜首，首6个月犯罪指数再下滑了26%。
事实上，槟州政府正致力于利用槟城现有的人才、供应链、物流、通讯、知识产权保护、无贪污施政、科学与科技的创意与革新，以及宜居城市环境，为槟城未来的发展创造一个和睦的工业环境。
为了达致这个目标，槟城正积极地招纳高价值制造业，包括电子领域、发光二极管、医疗领域器材、光伏/ 太阳能、宇航业及航空电子等工业。槟州也鼓励各公司为现有的价值链升级，以在槟城的业务上，增加软体、硬体及固件方面的研究、设计及发展。
制造业在马来西亚的国内生产总值份额，从1990年的24.6%增至2011年的30.9%，可是接着却在2011年跌至27.4%。马来西亚不应忽略制造业，因为制造领域是活力经济的重要基础。其中一个主因是，制造业创造了高生产力服务界的需求，如金融、电讯及运输等。其次，一些知识型的服务，皆是从制造业的生产中所分拆出来的。最后，制造业也能够产生出口盈余，以支付进口所需。
除了与制造业相关的服务，槟州政府也有意将槟城打造成共享服务及外包中心，特别是业务流程外包（BPO）、信息流程外包（IPO）及知识流程外包（KPO）等。在此，我欢迎大马厂商公会公员公司及他们的全球业务网络在这里设立他们的区域总部。记得，槟城要打造一份归属感、一份共存感及一份共同拥有的感觉。要成为一个国际及智慧城市，槟城不只是要成为一个国际公民，更要让人在生活、学习、工作、休息及玩乐的时候，都感觉到像在自己家里一样清洁、绿化、安全及舒服的环境。