City and cultural pacts with Taipei soon

TAIPEI: Malaysia's Head of Mission to Taiwan, Datuk Adeline Leong, is in the process of firming up the proposed Friendship Pact between Taoyuan City and Kota Kinabalu City . She said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman has approved the proposal, and the pact would be signed when the Mayor Datuk Yeo Boon Hai visits Taoyuan City towards the end of the year .

Leong, who is the President of the Malaysian Friendship and Trade Centre (MFTC), disclosed this during a courtesy call on her by an 18-member delegation from the Sabah Women Entrepreneurs and Professionals Association (Swepa), Tuesday.

"I believe with people-people relationship at the grassroots level, we can build better bilateral relations in trade, investment, tourism, education and culture. For this reason, I have also linked up the Rotary Club of KK Pearl with the Rotary Club of Taipei, the oldest Rotary Club in Taiwan," she said.

The other good news is that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will be signed between the Sabah Museum Department and the Pintung Cultural Development Centre at the end of May to coincide with the Pesta Kaamatan in Sabah and the Gawai Festival in Sarawak .

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According to Leong , there are strong similarities between the 16 ethnic tribes in Taiwan and the 33 ethnic groups in Sabah plus the 45 ethnic groups in Sarawak.

The delegation on a Business Matching Tour was led by Deputy Organising Chairperson Soo Yuen Mee.

Briefing the delegation on the role of MFTC, its Deputy President Anwar Udzir said Taiwan is ranked as Malaysia's sixth biggest trading partner . Statistics show that the total trade between Malaysia and Taiwan from January to December 2016 was recorded at USD15.2 billion .

"This was a slight decline of about 0.6pc for the same period in 2015, " he said.

According to Anwar, major export sectors from Malaysia in the order of importance include electrical and electronic, optical and scientific equipment, chemicals and chemical products, and metal-related manufacturing.

On the investment front, he said Taiwan's investment in Malaysia as of December 2016 based on approved projects by industries comprising manufacturing (USD$121 million), services (USD$109 million) and regional establishment, stood at a total of USD$196.1 million.

Major manufacturing sectors for the Taiwanese investment in Malaysia are products, chemicals and chemical products, food manufacturing, transport equipment and electrical and electronic products.

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On tourism, Anwar said at the end of 2016, the number of tourist arrivals from Taiwan was recorded at 300,861 visitors. "The number represents an increase of 6.2pc in arrivals from January to December 2016."

Also present were MFTC Manager Mohammad Firdaus Oging, MFTC Director of Trade Division, Saudah Mat Isa , MFTC Assistant Director of Visa Division, Haslinna Abdul Karim, Deputy President of Perwakilan Taipei, Azliza Mohd Shaik, Swepa President Wynnie Jong , Immediate Past President, Datin Jeanette Tambakau , Legal Adviser Teoh See See, Past Presidents Sue Yong and Doris Lim, Swepa Toastmasters Club President, Dora Voon, former Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Social Services, Datuk Chin Kui Bee, former Director of Sabah State Library, Ku Joo Bee and retired Principal of SM Shan Tao, Peggy Lim. - Mary Chin

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