Mida in talks with auto firms to invest in Malaysia

KULAI: The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida) is in talks with several automotive companies that are interested in investing in Malaysia.

Chief executive officer Datuk Azman Mahmud said that with the large presence of international automotive companies such as BMW Group, it had reinforced Malaysia's position in the regional automotive market.

"When BMW tripled their operations within a very short period of time, that signified how important Malaysia was to investors for them to consider Malaysia as a distribution centre for the region.

"(In fact), we are talking to few (automotive companies) and we will know when the time comes," he told reporters after the opening of BMW Group's regional parts distribution centre at the Senai International Airport Free Industrial Zone in Kulai On Thursday.

However, Azman did not disclose details of the potential investors.

He said Malaysia had its strength in the automotive sector compared with neighbouring Thailand.

Meanwhile, BMW Group senior vice-president of Asia, Pacific and South Africa, Hendrik von Kuenheim, said the new regional parts distribution centre in Senai would assume a key role in elevating Malaysia's position in the regional automotive market.

He said the record sales achieved in Asia last year and in the first quarter of 2017 was a testament to BMW Group's strength in the region.

"In that, we believe Malaysia is a key market that supports our strategic business direction in expanding our footprint in the region," von Kuenheim added.

The 775,000-sq-ft facility, one of the largest such BMW facilities in the Asia-Pacific region, will support over 23 countries in the region as a logistics warehouse and parts distribution centre. - Bernama