On the occasion of the visit to Ho Chi Minh City of the Malaysian Deputy Minister of International trade and Industry Ahmad Husni Mohamad Hanadzlah for the seminar developing Viet Nam-Malaysia trade ties, he called at Interfood Company which was the Malaysian-owned company located in Tam Phuoc industrial park, Long Thanh district. Dong Nai Newspaper’s reporter had an interview with Mr. Ahmad Husni Mohamad Hanadzlah.
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| Malaysian Deputy Minister of International trade and Industry Ahmad Husni Mohamad Hanadzlah (left) at the meeting with leaders of Interfood Company |
On the occasion of the visit to Ho Chi Minh City of the Malaysian Deputy Minister of International trade and Industry Ahmad Husni Mohamad Hanadzlah for the seminar developing Viet Nam-Malaysia trade ties, he called at Interfood Company which was the Malaysian-owned company located in Tam Phuoc industrial park, Long Thanh district. Dong Nai Newspaper’s reporter had an interview with Mr. Ahmad Husni Mohamad Hanadzlah.
Q: What was the purpose of your visit to Vietnam and Interfood Company today?
A: This is my second visit to Vietnam for the seminar developing Viet Nam-Malaysia trade ties held in Ho Chi Minh city, my first taking place almost precisely eight years ago. There are hundreds of Malaysian companies currently operating in Vietnam including in Dong Nai province. The visit to Interfood Company gave me a very good opportunity to examine Malaysia’s investment efficiency in Vietnam. Accordingly, we will set out our investment plans for upcoming years.
Q: Looking back over the years, what opportunities were offered for Malaysian businesses to Dong Nai province and how to develop bilateral trading opportunities between Malaysia and Vietnam?
A: I found that many opportunities emerged for Malaysian investors to set up here. I strongly believe that over next years there will be many opportunities for Malaysian investors to penetrate into Vietnamese market. Additionally, local governments of Vietnam have really created favorable conditions for Malaysian investors to make investment in their respective localities. Furthermore, the Vietnamese investment environment is hailed for its socio-economic stability and is increasingly improving and is facilitating the operations of foreign investors. For example, the provincial government of Dong Nai created and supported favorable conditions for Interfood Company to move its facility to a new and larger location in Tam Phuoc industrial park from Bien Hoa city. The new location meets current needs of Interfood company and also will allow it for upcoming expansion as well as offers many benefits. Malaysia is ranked Viet Nam’s 9th largest foreign investor with cumulative investment capital amounted to $1.9 billion in 173 projects for 2005. In 2006, the FDI capital from Malaysia to Vietnam is expected to more than double over 2005 resulted in strong development of bilateral trade between two countries. This year witnesses a striking increase of investment expansion by Malaysian companies in Vietnam that invest in such fields as industry, service and trade etc.
Q: How do you think about the trade and investment cooperative relation between Malaysia and Vietnam in general and Dong Nai province in particular?
A: There will be new development steps in the cooperative relation between two countries through the working visit. Viet Nam in general and Dong Nai province in particular is emerging as an important investment destination for Malaysian companies because it has the advantage of an abundant labour source and natural conditions. There have been many Malaysian companies doing business successfully in Dong Nai. However, the investors are very interested in Vietnam’s investment environment and policies as well as the stability of domestic consume market. Accordingly, they will determine which industries will be included in the investment. Malaysia –Vietnam bilateral trade relations are about mutual agreement between the Seller and the Buyer and mutual co-operation. For instance, Vietnam’s main exports to Malaysia include rice, bean, peanut, seafood and wood products, etc, meanwhile, Malaysia is able to supply fertilizer, steel, rubber processing machinery and electronic products to Vietnam. I hope that the trade cooperation between Vietnam and Malaysia will benefit both countries.
Q: How do you comment on labour cooperation between Malaysia and Vietnam?
A: This is seen as part of the diplomatic policy, which create favorable conditions for developing economic cooperation. Malaysia, one of Viet Nam’s key labour markets, has received more than 20,000 Vietnamese workers in the past years. Most of them earn a stable income. However, many Vietnamese workers in Malaysia have returned home after a short time because they lacked skills demanded by employers or jobs are not suitable for them, etc. In the next time, there will be also a great demand for foreign workers in Malaysia. Therefore, Vietnamese skilled workers will have a lot of chances to work in Malaysia.
Interviewer: Le Huong Thom
