ROME: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim began his second working day in Italy with one-on-one business discussions with top leaders from strategic sectors such as defence and energy.
The meetings with Fincantieri and Leonardo, two major Italian defence firms that participated in the recent Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA), have opened doors to long-term ventures.
"I stressed the importance of a government-to-government approach to strengthen Malaysia’s role as a hub in maintenance, repair, and operations," Anwar said on Thursday (July 2).
He emphasised that the session was crucial in maintaining Malaysia’s position as a stable and reliable investment destination.
Anwar met with Fincantieri CEO Pierroberto Folgiero, Leonardo senior marketing and strategic campaign VP Tomasso Pani, and ENI CEO Claudio Descalzi, along with PETRONAS president and Group CEO Tan Sri Tengku Muhammad Taufik Tengku Kamadjaja Aziz.
During an interactive session moderated by Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, several Italian company representatives expressed their reasons for investing in Malaysia. One noted that the Asian nation is financially stable and its people are easy to work with.
"We have worked with major entities like Abu Dhabi and several cities in China, but Malaysia is almost perfect. It is a hub of the South Pacific region and as a country, developed to a very advanced level," he said.
Most participants praised the Malaysian government’s efforts in creating a reliable environment for trade.
