InvestKL CEO Datuk Zainal Amanshah
KUALA LUMPUR: InvestKL, which attracted 51 multinational companies (MNCs) and investments of RM5.88bil since 2011, targets to get 13 MNCs this year amid a tough year ahead.
InvestKL CEO Datuk Zainal Amanshah said on Thursday these quality investments from global MNCs were highly significant due to ample economic opportunities.
He cited the MNCs collaboration with local companies; the development of value added services for domestic and export markets; as well as creating high-skilled jobs.
InvestKL is a government investment entity set up to attract and help MNCs set up regional headquarters in Greater KL.
The entity has seen a boost in the real estate market as well as in other ancillary sectors such as hospitality, schools, medical and tourism. All these have a strong impact on the local economy, contributing to the transformation of the Malaysian economy.
“KL is a great city. It is a ‘KUL’ city; cosmopolitan, vibrant with an increasing ease of doing business. We are also fast emerging as a regional hub for business, talent, innovation and creative content,” he added.
InvestKL, Zainal said, would continue to engage with the investors, and facilitate their investments into Greater KL.
He said while InvestKL expected 2016 to be a tough year, “but we are confident that with KL’s strong cost proposition, game changing infrastructure development projects such as the MRT which will be completed in 2017, the High Speed Rail and a robust maturing ecosystem, we can achieve the target”.
Since 2011, InvestKL has attracted 51 MNCs with approved and committed investments of RM5.88bil and the creation of more than 7,000 regional jobs since 2011.
These included the 10 MNCs which InvestKL has successfully secured in 2015, with RM589 million in approved and committed investments – a feat for InvestKL in view of the challenging global economic conditions.
From 2011-2015, 31.8% or RM1.87bil of the RM5.88bil investments have been realised.
In addition, 4,658 or 65.1% of the 7,156 high-skilled regional jobs created are already on the payroll. Of these, 83.4% or 3,885 employed are Malaysians.
InvestKL chairman Datuk Seri Michael Yam pointed out InvestKL’s achievements especially in 2015 demonstrate MNCs’ continued confidence in Kuala Lumpur as a preferred location for their regional headquarters.
“Asean remains a growth story, and there are many opportunities for MNCs to optimise by choosing KL,” he said.
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