Federal Govt not discriminating any state government in attracting investments
Bernama (5/5/08): The Federal Government is not discriminating any state government in its efforts to attract more foreign investors, Minister of International Trade and Industry Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said.
He said the government has continued to provide incentives, both old and new, to all foreign investors in the country including in the states currently governed by Opposition parties, namely Penang, Perak, Kedah, Selangor and Kelantan.
"The government is indeed encouraging foreign investments in all of these states and strives to regularly ensure that the fruits of the investment are enjoyed by all the people," he said during a Question and Answer session at the Parliament here Monday.
Teresa Kok Suh Sim (DAP-Seputeh) had asked if the ministry will continue to cooperate with the five state governments, administered by the DAP-PKR-PAS pact, in attracting foreign investments and whether it would continue to give incentives for foreign investors in those states.
Muhyiddin said the Federal Government hoped that the five state governments would continue with the existing policies and ensure that the policies remain business friendly.
"What is being hoped is that these state governments do not introduce or carry out any new state level policies which are not proactive in attracting investments to their state," he said.
Hopefully these policies are also not in conflict with the policies and regulations long practiced and established by the Federal Government, he said.
Muhyiddin also replied to a supplementary question from Teresa Kok on whether the ministry will be holding dialogue sessions or briefings with the leaders of the five states to discuss issues and plan strategies to attract foreign investors.
He said his ministry was ready to cooperate and provide whatever information needed by the governments of the five states.
"But whatever the efforts, they should be those that can increase investments into the country. This is because we are facing very steep competition in the international level," he said.
If the state governments are not proactive and do not provide the necessary infrastructure, it could jeopordise the entry of foreign investments into the country as well as the creation of new job opportunities, he said.
In his reply to a question from Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi(BN-Batu Pahat) who wanted to know whether the lack of foreign investments in Kelantan was due to the state not being strategically located, he agreed that the reasons were the state's distant location and lack of comprehensive infrastructure especially towards the western part of the state.
He said the government has continued to provide incentives, both old and new, to all foreign investors in the country including in the states currently governed by Opposition parties, namely Penang, Perak, Kedah, Selangor and Kelantan.
"The government is indeed encouraging foreign investments in all of these states and strives to regularly ensure that the fruits of the investment are enjoyed by all the people," he said during a Question and Answer session at the Parliament here Monday.
Teresa Kok Suh Sim (DAP-Seputeh) had asked if the ministry will continue to cooperate with the five state governments, administered by the DAP-PKR-PAS pact, in attracting foreign investments and whether it would continue to give incentives for foreign investors in those states.
Muhyiddin said the Federal Government hoped that the five state governments would continue with the existing policies and ensure that the policies remain business friendly.
"What is being hoped is that these state governments do not introduce or carry out any new state level policies which are not proactive in attracting investments to their state," he said.
Hopefully these policies are also not in conflict with the policies and regulations long practiced and established by the Federal Government, he said.
Muhyiddin also replied to a supplementary question from Teresa Kok on whether the ministry will be holding dialogue sessions or briefings with the leaders of the five states to discuss issues and plan strategies to attract foreign investors.
He said his ministry was ready to cooperate and provide whatever information needed by the governments of the five states.
"But whatever the efforts, they should be those that can increase investments into the country. This is because we are facing very steep competition in the international level," he said.
If the state governments are not proactive and do not provide the necessary infrastructure, it could jeopordise the entry of foreign investments into the country as well as the creation of new job opportunities, he said.
In his reply to a question from Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi(BN-Batu Pahat) who wanted to know whether the lack of foreign investments in Kelantan was due to the state not being strategically located, he agreed that the reasons were the state's distant location and lack of comprehensive infrastructure especially towards the western part of the state.
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