Oleh/By : DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
Tempat/Venue : TANJUNG AGAS, MUAR, JOHOR
Tarikh/Date : 09/06/94
Tajuk/Title : THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF PIONEER
TECHNOLOGY (M) SDN. BHD.
Saya mengucapkan terima kasih kepada pihak pengurusan
dan kakitangan Pioneer Technology (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd.
kerana menjemput saya untuk merasmikan pembukaan kilang ini.
Penubuhan Pioneer Technology (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd.
menunjukkan keyakinan Pioneer Electronic Corporation dari
Jepun terhadap Malaysia sebagai pusat pelaburan yang
menguntungkan. Tahniah dan terima kasih saya ucapkan kepada
Pioneer Electronic Corporation kerana mengambil keputusan
untuk melabur di Malaysia.
2. Syarikat Pioneer Electronic Corporation bukanlah
syarikat tunggal yang mempercayai bahawa Malaysia adalah
salah satu negara yang cemerlang bagi kegiatan perniagaan
dan pelaburan. Lebih daripada 3,500 syarikat yang turut
berkongsi keyakinan ini telah menubuhkan operasi mereka di
negara ini.
3. Malaysia is proud to say that between 1991 and April
1994, a total of RM77.7 billion worth of investments has
been approved for the manufacturing sector. Of this total,
foreign investors accounted for RM42.8 billion or 55.1 per
cent of total investments.
4. In our efforts to realise our objective of
becoming a fully industrialised nation, great emphasis has
been placed on the manufacturing sector, which is expected
to be the major source of growth for the next three decades
or so. Within the manufacturing sector, the electronics
sub-sector continues to be a strong driving force,
registering a remarkable output growth rate of 29.6 per cent
per annum between 1988 and 1993. It also recorded annual
average growth rates of 30.4 per cent and 24.4 per cent
respectively in terms of export and employment for the same
period.
5. Japanese investment in the manufacturing sector,
especially in the electrical and electronics sub-sector, has
always been significant. Between 1980 and April 1994, a
total of 452 projects with investments totalling RM6.9
billion was granted approval in this sub-sector, accounting
for 36.5 per cent of total Japanese investment in the
manufacturing sector during this period. Not only that, the
bulk of the industry's output is also exported. In 1993,
total exports of electronics products was valued at RM 46.7
billion, of which RM5.4 billion or 11.6 per cent was made
up of audio products.
6. Recognising the important contribution of the
electronics industry to the economy, the Government has
always provided support and encouragement in terms of
ensuring the prevalence of the appropriate investment
climate for its growth. The basic thrust of the Government
policy will be to diversify the industry, not only to enable
the production of a wider range of electronic products but
also to create more effective forward and backward linkages.
7. Currently two crucial issues facing the industry that
are of concern to us are the low-level Malaysian
participation and the lack of linkages between the
electronics industry and the local supporting industries.
Therefore, the Government has decided that among the
conditions for the granting of tax
incentives will be the requirement of local content and the
development of linkages with local industries.
8. It is also the Government's intention that more local
entrepreneurs, particularly Bumiputera entrepreneurs, should
venture into supporting industries. Investors should
actually welcome these conditions as they would:-
(i) enjoy the convenience of component suppliers
located nearby, coupled with prompt delivery and
good technical services, and;
(ii) counter the rising cost of components from Japan
following the appreciation of the Yen which has
led to the need to find cheaper sources without
compromising quality.
9. This is where the small and medium industries (SMIs)
can play an important role as suppliers of parts and
components to the large companies engaged in the production
of final products. The Government has established a special
Vendor Development Programme to facilitate the advancement
of the SMIs in the country. In 1992, the Government
introduced the `Electrical and Electronics Components
Scheme' in the consumer electronics sub-sector for this
purpose.
10. Technology is the key to development. It is our hope
that with the enhancement of sub-contracting relationships
with major consumer electronics firms, the Malaysian firms
may gain substantially through the transfer of technology,
especially in respect of the manufacturing and sub-assembly
process, quality assurance techniques as well as the
operations management know-how.
11. In order to enable this transfer of technology, it is
important that manpower training be stepped up. In this
regard I am glad to note Pioneer Technology (Malaysia) Sdn.
Bhd's commitment to manpower training. I have been made to
understand that despite being only 10 months old, the
company has, to-date, spent over RM1 million on
management, engineering and technical skills training.
This, I believe, reflects the sincerity of the company in
enhancing skills development and in facilitating the
transfer of technology to Malaysians.
12. Research and Development (R & D) plays an important
role in the process of our development. Thus, new elements
that are being introduced into the fiscal incentive
structures to encourage R & D activities reflect our
commitment to this. It is hoped that foreign companies,
such as Pioneer Technology, will avail themselves of these
incentives and will eventually set up their own R & D
centres in the country.
13. Sekali lagi saya mengucapkan terima kasih kepada
Pioneer Technology (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. kerana menjemput
saya ke majlis ini. Dengan harapan Syarikat ini akan
mencapai kejayaan, saya dengan sukacitanya merasmikan
pembukaan Kilang Pioneer Technology (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd.
|
|