Malaysia to invest more

Sanjeevi JAYASURIYA

Sri Lanka could offer a wide range of opportunities for the Malaysian construction and professional services providers supplementing the Government development drive.

Mohamad Kamurudeen

“We are in Sri Lanka to explore opportunities and to promote green building and sustainability in city development projects. Our expertise could be made use of by this country in making systematic progress towards planned township and facility location,” Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation Development Deputy Chief Executive Mohamad Kamurudeen Hassan said.

“There is strong interest in Malaysia to further strengthen business collaborations and partnerships. Malaysian companies have achieved major successes in the construction of landmark projects both in Malaysia and overseas.

With experience gained at home, we could venture abroad and establish a reputation for delivery and quality work,” he said.

Bilateral trade between Sri Lanka and Malaysia continues to grow steadily. In 2009 total trade between Sri Lanka and Malaysia amounted to US $ 424 million with exports to Sri Lanka recording US $ 376 million and imports recording US $ 48 million, he said.

Total trade between Sri Lanka and Malaysia was US $ 415 million for the period of January to October this year. Exports to Sri Lanka for the same period recorded US $ 354 million. The top five exports to Sri Lanka from Malaysia during this period were chemicals and chemical products, palm oil, non- metallic mineral products, refined petroleum products and electrical and electronic products.

Imports from Sri Lanka to Malaysia for the period of January to October 2010 amounted to US $ 61 million and top five imports were crude rubber, chemicals and chemical products, textiles and clothing, rubber products and processed food, he said.

“We can actively involve in areas such as civil engineering, project design, management and contracting in the fields of mechanical and electrical engineering, geo-technical, township and property development.

“We will also be looking at township and property development, architectural, interior, planning consultancy and design services, design, build, maintenance and refurbishment of sewerage treatment plants, highway concessions services, integrated facilities management services, systems operation and maintenance and consultancy services, industrial building systems, manufacturing of wood wool composite panels and decorative stone works,” he said.

This program provides a useful platform to create awareness among the Sri Lankan business community of the available expertise and capabilities of the Malaysian service providers. Malaysian companies have been involved with construction projects since 1997 in sectors such as hospitality and tourism, energy, oil and gas, water supply and housing projects totalling to US $ 107 million in Sri Lanka, Kamurudeen said.

A 15 member Malaysian delegation consisting of construction and professional service providers visited Sri Lanka where they attended a seminar on Malaysia - Sri Lanka business opportunities in the construction and professional services sector held in Colombo.