Key Points of 2 Speeches to Australian Investors and Professionals by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng On 23rd March 2012 At the Victoria Investment Centre and Asialink’s Sidney Myer Asia Centre In Melbourne, Australia Released In Penang On 24.3.2012
Penang Seeks Convergence Of The Manufacturing, Services And Government Sector To Propel Penang’s Escape From The Middle-Income Trap To High-Income Economy Status Of USD15,000 Per Capita By 2020.
Trade is very important to the Malaysia and Penang’s economy. Malaysia is the 22nd largest exporter in the world, behind Australia, which ranked 21st, and the 26th largest importer in the world behind Australia, at the 20th position. Malaysia is the 37th largest economy in the world behind Australia, which ranked 13th.
Malaysia has a relatively small domestic market and Penang especially,focuses on export-oriented economy, particularly in the electrical & electronics (E&E) sector. Despite being the second smallest state in Malaysia, Penang contributes towards 25% of Malaysia’s imports and exports.
Penang also topped manufacturing investment in Malaysia in 2010 and repeated that historic feat in 2011. For two years in a row, Penang has led manufacturing investment in Malaysia. In 2010, we attracted RM12.2 billion worth of investments while we received RM 9.1 billion last year. In FDIs, Penang contributed to 28% or RM 17.7 billion of Malaysia’s total FDI of RM63.2billion in 2010-2011.
Penang’s recent successes is attributed to CAT governance on competency, accountability and transparency based on open competitive tenders and full disclosure that has resulted in surplus budgets every year since we took power in 2008. Penang has also managed to reduce our state government debts by 95% from RM 630 million in 8.3.2008 to RM 30 million at end 2011. This marks a reduction of 95% over a period of three years, the highest record ever amongst all states in Malaysia.
Australia is an important trading partner for Malaysia. Australia was our 11th largest trading partner while Malaysia was Australia’s 10th largest trading partner with total two-way trade of goods and services of Aus$15.6 billion in 2010. Exports of air conditioner, machines and parts to Australia are one of the major contributors to Malaysia’s manufacturing export growth. As for the services sector, Australia is one of the major export market for construction services, oil & gas, MRO (maintenance & repair and operations) services, and legal services.
The Malaysia-Australia FTA (MAFTA) could address barriers to Australian trade exports in agricultural products and processed food as well as in trade in services. Hopefully, Malaysia can enjoy greater access to the services in Australia including legal services, telecommunication, accounting services, architectural services, engineering services, education services, insurance services and banking.
Australia has been traditionally a destination for higher education for our Malaysian students. To date, about 300,000 Malaysians have been educated in Australia. I believe that it would be feasible for Australian universities to set up branch campuses in Penang. In Melbourne alone there are over 75,000 Malaysians residents and students.
Victoria and Penang shares many similarities in that we punch above our weight. Both are heavily industrialised states with Victoria’s GDP comprising almost 90% from the manufacturing and services sector as compared to Penang’s 97%. We hope for more investment from Australia in areas where Australia has a world-class track record in education, media, design and aerospace.
Apart from strengthening CAT governance, Penang seeks convergence of the manufacturing, services and government sector to propel Penang’s escape from the middle-income trap to high-income economy status of USD15,000 per capita by 2020. As companies seek convergence for products, technology and services to survive and stay in the market, governments seeking investments and FDIs must seek convergence of the government sector with the high-value manufacturing and services sectors.
To escape the middle income trap, Penang must not only be the ‘sweat shop’ of the manufacturing sector but also be the ‘smart shop’ of the services sector. KPMG listed Penang as one of the 31 emerging IT-business process outsourcing (BPO) cities of the world. Today, multi-national corporations have set up BPO operations in Penang in the areas of human resource, accounting and financial services, education and health as well as technical support and customer care.
Human talent is the primary condition required to make this convergence of manufacturing, services and government sector happen. To draw in human talent, Penang must be an attractive place to live. Making Penang cleaner, greener, safer and healthier is only the first step. Just as Melbourne is the cultural capital of Australia, Penang aspires to be the cultural capital of Malaysia.
Besides having a UNESCO World Heritage city, Penang is a great place to live, work, learn, play and dine. Indeed accolades for Penang include Penang’s food being ranked as the 7th most delicious food in the world by CNN and Yahoo Travel listing Penang as one of the 8 top islands in the world that “You must see before you die”. So come to Penang whether as an investor or as a tourist, so that you can at least die happy!
槟州首席部长林冠英于2012年3月23日在澳洲维多利亚投资中心，和3月24日在墨尔本的亚洲悉尼麦雅亚洲中心，两场对澳洲投资者和专业人士的主讲内容:
槟城寻求汇集制造业、服务业和政府领域，以推动槟城逃离中收入的困境，在2020年达到人均收入1万5000美元的高收入经济地位。
贸易对马来西亚和槟城非常重要，大马是世界第22大的出口国，仅次于排名第21的澳洲；在世界进口国中排名第26的大马，居后于排名第20的澳洲。大马是全球第37大经济体，澳洲则排名第13。
马来西亚，尤其是槟城有一个相对较小的国内市场，注重于外向型经济，特别是在电子领域。尽管槟城是大马第二最小的州属，但槟城贡献了大马25%的进出口量。
槟城于2010在全马制造业投资居冠，2011年也写下辉煌的记录，连续2年领先制造业投资额。2010年获得122亿2000万令吉，去年则达91亿令吉。外国直接投资方面，槟城在2010年至2011年贡献全国总直接投资的28%，在632亿令吉中占了177亿令吉。
这些成功来自槟州政府公开招标的能干、公信和透明（CAT）施政原则，这可从我们于2008年执政后每年财政盈余中看到。槟城也减少了95%的债务，从2008年3月8日的6亿3千万令吉债务减少至3千万令吉。
澳洲是大马重要的贸易伙伴，澳洲曾是大马第11大的贸易伙伴，同时大马也是澳洲第10大贸易伙伴，双方货物和服务的往来贸易在2010年达到156亿澳币。空调机、机器和零件是大马主要出口至澳洲的制造业产品。服务业方面，澳洲也是我国建筑业、石油、天然气、法律、维修和运作业的主要出口国。
马来西亚澳洲自由贸易区（MAFTA）能解决澳洲农业品出口、加工食品和服务贸易的障碍，希望大马能享受澳洲更佳的服务，包括法律、电讯、会计、建筑、工程、教育、保险和银行的服务。
澳洲已成为大马学生完成高等教育的传统选择，至今约30万大马留学澳洲，我相信，澳洲在槟城设立分校是可行的，单单在墨尔本，就有超过7万5000个大马居民和学生。
维多利亚和槟城有许多相似之处，我们都是着重于工业的州属，维多利亚的国内生产总值几乎90% 来自制造业和服务业，而槟州则占了97%，我们希望更多来自澳洲的投资者，因为澳洲在教育、媒体、设计和航空业都达到世界级水准。
除了加强CAT的施政原则，槟城也寻求汇集制造业、服务业和政府领域，以推动槟城逃离中收入的困境，在2020年达到人均收入1万5000美元的高收入经济地位。随着企业寻求汇集产品、科技和服务业，以在市场上继续生存，政府希望，投资和外国直接投资也必须与政府部门迈向高附加价值制造业和服务业进行汇集。
在逃离中收入困境这方面，槟城必须不只是制造业的“血汗工厂”，同时也是服务业的“精明工厂”。毕马威会计事务所列槟州为全球进行资讯业务流程外包的31个城市之一。今天，跨国公司已在槟城设立科技支援和客户服务，包括人力资源、会计、金融服务、教育和卫生健康的服务。
人才是汇集制造业、服务业和政府领域的主要条件，槟城要成为充满吸引力的宜居地，就必须善于人才，而第一步就是打造一个清洁、绿意、安全和健康的槟州。正如墨尔本是澳洲的文化之都，槟城也立志成为马来西亚的文化之都。雅虎旅游网页也列槟城为“死前必须要看”的前8个岛屿。所以说，不管是投资者还是旅游，你必须到槟城一游，那至少也死得快乐。