- Foreign companies choosing Malaysia to set up shops
- TSMC diperlembukan by the United States
- Prabowo to continue the development of Ibu Kota Nusantara (IKN)
IN Malaysia
Greater Kedah Roadmap to be rolled out soon
Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said that the Greater Kedah masterplan, a roadmap to be achieved by 2050, will be announced soon. The roadmap will aim to bring prosperity to Kedahans, by empowering Kedah in multiple aspects. The details of the roadmap are still vague and seem to be covering everything under the Sun. So, we can only judge once the plan is announced.
Source: https://theedgemalaysia.com/node/731774
While Kedah is still formalising its game plan on the whiteboard, Penang is playing tiki-taka towards the goal. A joint venture between AME Elite Consortium Bhd and Majestic Gen Sdn Bhd, dubbed Suling Hill Development Sdn Bhd has officially launched the RM1.3 bil Northern TechValley @ BKE industrial park in Seberang Jaya, Penang. The 176-acre development is aimed at attracting investments in advanced manufacturing and high-tech industries. Northern TechValley @ BKE is expected to be completed in 2029.
Source: https://theedgemalaysia.com/node/731847
Foreign companies are making their marks in Malaysia
- DHL Express – DHL Express Malaysia and Brunei managing director, Julian Neo Poh Choon announced that the logistic company will be throwing another RM300 mil of investment into the Malaysian market via the launch of the new Kuala Lumpur Gateway facility at KLIA AirCargo Terminal One (KACT 1) in Sepang, Selangor. This latest project will be the largest local investment to date by DHL. Previously, the company had invested RM13 mil to set up its Prai Service Centre in the Batu Kawan Industrial Park, Penang, and RM11 mil in the Malaysia Southern Gateway.
- BlackBerry – The US-based company has chosen Cyberjaya as the regional base for its cybersecurity division. The office, now fully operational, shows BlackBerry Ltd’s continuous commitment to the country after launching the Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (CCoE) in November 2023.
- Stellantis – The world’s fourth-largest automaker, Stellantis, which has brands such as Jeep, Peugeot and Maserati, amongst others under its belt, has decided to set up a regional parts hub in Malaysia. The soon-to-be-built parts hub will help Stellantis to penetrate furtherinto the India and Asia Pacific region, which is the company’s third growth engine. The new regional parts hub will be operational by 1Q2025.
Source: https://www.nst.com.my/business/corporate/2024/10/1126472/stellantis-set-regional-parts-hub-malaysia
Around the S.E.A.
TSMC pening kepala
The world’s largest chip foundry, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) is in a bit of a sticky situation. TSMC CEO Morris Chang said that the company will severely suffer soon as it is the victim of the current US-China trade war. The death of chip free trade is happening at the moment as the US is controlling the flow of cutting-edge chips to China. Although a lot of restrictions have been imposed towards the supply of advanced chips to China, the country still accounts for more than 10% of TSMC’s revenue. The ironclad grip the US has on TSMC has been exhibited recently after the latter suspended shipment to China-based chip designer Sophgo after a chip it made was found on a Huawei AI processor.
Source: https://theedgemalaysia.com/node/731736
Why Taiwan’s TSMC listen to US akin to lembu dicucuk hidung? This is because the US is the only thing that stands in the way of China from invading the island nation. Since 1950, the US has approved nearly USD50 bil in military sales to Taiwan. Only Israel, Japan, and Saudi Arabia purchased more from the United States during that period. Despite US is the so call defender of Taiwan, however the relationship is not symbiotic. The US-Taiwan relationship is so one-sided that the US even ‘forced’ TSMC to set up shop stateside as the U.S. government aims to onshore semiconductor manufacturing and strengthen national economic competitiveness. As of April 2024, TSMC has pledged more than USD65 bil of investments to the US.
Prabowo’s administration starts in the right direction
Indonesia new president Prabowo Subianto has stated its commitment to continue the legacy of former president Joko Widodo, by putting a four-year deadline to complete key government and parliamentary buildings in the RM139.5 bil new capital, Nusantara. However, whether Indonesia is able to achieve the target or not, is a whole other story as the new capital struggles up until now to attract foreign investments. Foreign investments is key in building the new capital because only a fifth of the total budget for Nusantara will come from the public coffers. Previously, it finally received its first foreign investment last month when Chinese property firm Delonix Group invested USD31.8 mil to build hotels and offices.Source: https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2024/10/28/indonesias-prabowo-sets-sights-on-finishing-new-capital-nusantara-by-2029-presidential-inauguration/155092
For your EYES only
Putrajaya recently announced that it will allocate RM50 mil in Budget 2025 to restart PLKN 3.0. The nation-building program, which once a nightmare for some millennials, now would target participants aged 16 to 35 among Form Four students, Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) leavers, and students from institutions of higher learning. However, the main focus will be on SPM leavers. So, to millennials who skipped the previous versions of PLKN or to those who went through PLKN last time and are currently suffering from PTSD, worry not, as PLKN 3.0 is unlikely to affect you.
PLKN is back, baby. pic.twitter.com/sspfTTvpPm
— brgsjks (@brgsjks) October 18, 2024
