Malaysia-Singapore Business Forum To Boost Economic Ties

By Tengku Noor Shamsiah Tengku Abdullah SINGAPORE, Nov 22 (Bernama) -- Ministers, senior officials and members of the business community will meet in Singapore this Thursday at the Malaysia-Singapore Business Forum to discuss how to further enhance bilateral economic relations between both countries. The forum is organised by the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) and Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), together with International Enterprise (IE) Singapore and the Singapore Business Federation (SBF). About 700 participants will attend the forum at the Raffles City Convention Centre, Singapore, said a joint statement released by IE Singapore. It said the forum aims to provide the latest information on initiatives taken by both Malaysia and Singapore to foster business collaboration ties and updates on the latest policies. International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed and Singapore Trade and Industry Minister Lim Hng Kiang will provide insights on the latest initiatives to foster strategic partnerships between the two countries as well as the outlook on Malaysia’s and Singapore’s economy and investment opportunities. The forum will be facilitated by Lorraine Hahn, a former CNN and CNBC TV presenter. Singapore Aerospace Manufacturing senior vice president for corporate development Oh Chong Ho and YCH Group Ltd CEO Robert Yap will be sharing their experiences of doing business in Malaysia. Both Singapore companies have significant business operations in Malaysia. Other panellists include Malaysia Singapore Business Council representative Ghazali Yusoff and Singapore Business Federation chairman Tony Chew. Participants will have excellent opportunities to network with ministers, senior Malaysian government officials and business leaders at the forum. Bilateral trade and investments between Malaysia and Singapore have always been strong due to the historical and cultural ties between the two nations. Malaysia is currently Singapore’s largest trading partner with total trade amounting to S$106.6 billion, up from S$86.1 billion in 2009. It is also the fourth most popular investment destination for Singapore with total direct investments amounting to S$28.7 billion. For more information on the forum, visit www.msbusinessforum2011.com.sg -- BERNAMA Malaysia