Canberra, Monday 25 March 2002

Minister Downer opens Australia-Malaysia conference

ANU's National Institute for Asia and the Pacific will hold the Third Biennial Australia-Malaysia Conference this week. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, The Hon. Alexander Downer, opened the conference at 9.00am today. The conference focus is the economic, social and political issues Malaysian industry faces at the beginning of the 21st Century.

The conference, the third in a highly successful series, will involve the delivery of 12 papers by distinguished Malaysians and Australians including Mustapa Mohamed, Executive Director of the National Economic Action Council, Professor Rajah Rasiah of the United Nations University and Mr Alexander Gosling, President of the Australia-Malaysia Business Council and chief executive for Asia of the Invetech group of companies. Mr Gosling will present a lecture focusing on Malaysia’s manufacturing sector as an important component of its economy, and especially of its exports.

“This industry has grown fast, and manufacturing is now the largest sector of the Malaysian economy. But with lessening demand for electronics goods the issue has arisen of how industry can be diversified.
“This sector, in its present form, is under competitive pressure from China and other countries in South East Asia. These competitive pressures will intensify as China in particular builds its capabilities and credibility as a manufacturing supplier,” Mr Gosling said.

Mr Gosling is a fervent believer in the natural synergy between Malaysia and Australia that exists in the area of manufacturing and technology.

Other papers at the Conference will be given by businesspersons, politicians and academics, and will explore major issues confronting Malaysia, especially its industry in the early 2000s.

On Tuesday evening there will be a conference dinner at University House and this will be attended by H.E. M.H. Arshad, the Malaysian High Commissioner in Australia, together with senior national representatives from Malaysia and Australia. It will include a performance of Malaysian traditional dancers.

© 2000 Marketing & Communications Division,
The Australian National University.
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Last Modified Tue, July 16, 2002