KUALA LUMPUR: There is sustained interest coming from the United States companies looking to invest in Malaysia amidst the US-China trade tensions.
American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce chief executive officer Datuk Siobhan M. Das said the chamber sees interests coming from sectors where traditional investments were attracting.
“I think the attractiveness over the last five years which we have seen grow exponentially is still going to continue. It is a question of what will land in Malaysia. So I think the US-China tensions again go back to providing opportunities.
“The amount of investments that have landed in Malaysia is significant.
“The United States is probably the largest investor (in Malaysia) right now,” she told Bernama in an interview. Siobhan was a guest on Bernama TV’s The Nation programme entitled In Focus: Malaysia-US Trade Relations hosted by Jessy Chahal yesterday.
Currently, more than 600 American companies have a presence in Malaysia.
Siobhan said that over the last five years, the sectors that had consistently attracted American investments were the ones of high value, high technology and sectors that required specialty and quality to come out of their investments, which Malaysia is perfectly placed to do.
“Malaysia is perfectly equipped to be able to deliver in that space. The sectors, including electrical and electronics of which semiconductors is a part of, remain paramount.
“Building on that medical technology, you have seen a massive influx of medical technology companies that are here, aerospace, chemicals, and information and communications technology, are growing as well,” she added.
Beyond that, Malaysia has a lot of opportunities for new industries such as critical minerals. — Bernama
