EUROCHAM Malaysia was glad to have met YB Liew Chin Tong, Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry during the 10th ASEAN-EU Business Summit in conjunction with the 45th Asean-EU Commemorative Summit, in Brussels and we look forward to engaging with the ministry to further bolster alliances.

My first task as deputy international trade and industry minister was to represent my minister, Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, at the 10th Asean-EU Business Summit, in conjunction with the 45th Asean-EU Commemorative Summit, in Brussels. At the forum, I spoke alongside His Excellency Valdis Dombrovskis, an executive vice-president of the European Commission and also its trade commissioner.

Dombrovskis is the former prime minister of Latvia. As one of the executive vice-presidents of the European Commission — the executive wing of the European Union (EU) — he is responsible for “An Economy that Works for People”.

I draw attention to Dombrovskis’ fascinating job title to illustrate the need for trade to work for both his people and “my people”, the people of Malaysia and Asean. Before my session, the secretary-general of Asean, His Excellency Lim Jock Hoi, had called for an effort to build a middle-class society across Asean states.

The Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change (KETSA) issued a media statement regarding the Electricity Tariff Adjustment for Peninsular Malaysia for the Period of 1 January to 30 June 2023. Media statement as follows:

The government has agreed that all domestic users will not incur any tariff increase following the electricity tariff adjustment through the Imbalance Cost Pass-Through (ICPT) mechanism. At the same time, lower voltage (LV) non-domestic users which includes micro businesses, small and medium enterprises including restaurants, groceries, bakeries, small workshops and such will not be facing any electricity tariff increase as well. For this category of users, the government allocates RM8.74 billion in subsidy. This follows the decision by the National Action Council on Cost of Living meeting on 13 December chaired by YAB Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and the Cabinet Meeting on 14 December 2022.

To ensure that there are no increase in prices of food and agricultural products, users such farmers and animal breeders which is categorised as specific agriculture (tariff H) will also not incur any electricity tariff increase. The government allocates RM90 million in subsidy for this category of users.

We would like to welcome our new member Sime Darby Property Berhad to EUROCHAM Malaysia! We are excited to have your esteemed organisation as part of our EU-MY business community. We look forward to working together to bolster future and stronger business alliances.

Sime Darby Property is Malaysia's biggest property developer in terms of land bank, with approximately 15,000 acres available land bank with a total estimated GDV of RM100bil. Our excellent track record in developing residential, commercial and industrial properties is represented by the 25 strategically located and active townships, integrated and niche developments built to date. These townships and developments are connected to major highways and transportation hubs within key growth areas from the central region of Klang Valley to Negeri Sembilan and Johor in the South.

Sime Darby is a developer of sustainable communities and their townships have matured and remain sought-after addresses with vibrant population centres throughout the years. Sime Darby is the first Malaysian property developer to be awarded the International FIABCI Prix d’Excellence Awards twice for its Subang Jaya and UEP Subang Jaya townships.

EUROCHAM Malaysia’s Head of Automotive Sector Committee, Mr. Pierre Brochet, Mr. Mohd Azizy Mohd Aris, and EUROCHAM Malaysia’s team is pleased to have received a warm welcome from the Department of Environment’s Deputy Director General– Development Division, Dr. Norhazni Mat Sari on December 14, 2022. Together with her, the meeting was also attended by the Hazardous, Enforcement, Assessment, and Communication, Educational and Public Awareness (CEPA) division.

The objective of the meeting was to discuss pertinent issues in the automotive industry focusing on topics of sustainability, electric vehicle infrastructures, and emission standards. Furthermore, both EUROCHAM Malaysia and DOE had a fruitful and productive discussion on possible areas of cooperation and joint advocacy.

Today, the European Union and Malaysia signed the EU-Malaysia Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) in Brussels.

This agreement will enhance the political dialogue on issues of global concern and will give more scope for mutually beneficial cooperation in a wide number of policy areas, including the environment, energy, climate change, transport, trade, employment and social affairs, human rights, agriculture, non-proliferation, counter-terrorism, the fight against organised crime and migration.

High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell said: "The European Union and Malaysia are further strengthening their ties to work more closely together. The Partnership and Cooperation Agreement consolidates existing areas of cooperation and engagement and deepens and diversifies relations further in areas of mutual interest."

The signing ceremony marks the successful closure of negotiations that started in October 2010. The Agreement was initialled on 6 April 2016 by the chief negotiators of the European Union and Malaysia, at a ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia in Putrajaya.