International Experts, Investors to Attend Mining, Energy Forum in Kuala Lumpur

By Neville D'Cruz MELBOURNE, July 4 (Bernama) -– International experts and investors will converge in Kuala Lumpur later this month to attend a forum on mining opportunities in the region, including Australia. The Asian Mining and Energy Investment Forum, to be opened by the International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed, will be held at Hilton KL Central on July 12 and 13. Delegates from China, India, Southeast Asia, Central Asia and Australia will attend the forum endorsed by the Malaysian, Chinese and Australian governments. Forum convener Jimmy Yong, who has extensive mining interests in Australia, said the forum would unearth new opportunities for global mining and related resources sector. The two-day forum, open to the public, will dedicate significant opportunities for business matching to promote investments, project financing and selection of strategic partners for projects, said Yong, who is based in Perth. In his message to the organisers, Mustapa said the forum is being convened at an appropriate time. He said the forum would provide primary stakeholders -– governments and potential investors -- the opportunity to meet and discuss future prospects in the mining and energy sectors. Mustapa said participants would be coming from all over the world and the presence of Chinese and Australian officials was particularly welcome. He said Malaysia had also developed a significant presence in the mining and energy sectors over the years. "The mining sector has grown by an average 6.6 per cent over the past five years to reach RM125.4 billion (US$39.77 billion). This contributed 12.2 per cent of Malaysia's gross domestic product and 18.1 per cent of Malaysia's exports last year," he added. -- BERNAMA