KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia wants to boost investment from Indonesia after the government said it had already seen a positive increase in such investment over the past few years. But it said it would increase efforts to entice Indonesian investors to enter the Malaysian market. The push is part of both Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta looking to increase local and regional investment to ensure the economies' in both countries moves forward at a stable pace. This year, the Minister of International Trade and Industry Mustapa Mohamed has already twice led trade and investment missions to Indonesia with one to Surabaya in April and another, which began on Sunday. The missions aim to increase bilateral trade and investment between the two countries. Mohamed said the efforts to get more Indonesian investors into Malaysia was also aimed at “bringing further balance to the ratio of investments between the two countries which currently favored Malaysia.” The visit comes after last month's culture war between the two countries over traditional dance and culture that saw Indonesian users on social media sites attack Malaysia for using “their culture” and pushing it as their own. The battle waged for a solid two weeks, with activists and observers telling Bikyamasr.com that it was “part of the ongoing tug-o-war between the two peoples.” Mohamed, however, added that the difference in investment ratio between the two countries was “beginning to narrow.” Ten years ago, the investment ratio of Malaysia and Indonesia was five to one, respectively, but it has been reduced to three to one in the last few years, Mohamed, who is currently attending the ASEAN-Latin America Business Forum, told reporters. In terms of value, Indonesia's investments in Malaysia in the manufacturing and services sector increased to US$398.6 million last year compared with US$141.7 million the year before. Pointing to this success, Mohamed urged Indonesian investors to “see Malaysia as a strategic trade and investment destination,” although the country only has a population of 28 million compared with Indonesia's 240 million. The Malaysian envoy added that the efforts to attract more Indonesian investors to Malaysia “would be focussed along three key strategies namely building good relations with the Indonesian media, closer ties with their Parlimentarians, particularly the People's Representative Council and enhancing links and cooperation with Indonesia's Chamber of Commerce and Industry.” “More meetings with local media with a focus on business should be held as we want to ensure that the negative views of Malaysia are corrected through the media. “With the provision of a more accurate picture of Malaysia via the Indonesian media, we are bound to attract more investors from the country,” he said.
