HANOI, Feb 26 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has hit out at those who advised him “not to travel too much”, saying that they are clearly unaware of the hard work he has done to lure investment into the country.
As a trading nation, Malaysia needs investment because, without it, the country cannot solve problems related to employment, create job opportunities, and improve the economic capabilities of the country and the people.
“Investment can help accelerate the development (of the country). Some people ask do I need to keep travelling abroad. Some simply say I should not travel too much.
“They did not know that I usually travel and reach the destination in the evening. Even before checking in to the hotel, I had to attend a couple of meetings plus the pre-council meeting with the ambassador.
"From 7am onwards, there were several bilateral meetings for me to attend. That is what I did, and when I returned, I went straight to work.
“I did not even take a day off to play golf,” he told the Malaysian press after delivering a keynote address at the 2nd Asean Future Forum, which was also attended by his Vietnamese counterpart Phạm Minh Chính and New Zealand's Christopher Luxon, as well as Timor-Leste President José Ramos Horta.
The keynote address was part of Anwar’s schedule during his two-day working visit to Vietnam, which was the first after Malaysia officially assumed the Asean chairmanship in January.
The Prime Minister arrived at 7.10pm yesterday and went straight to pay a courtesy call to the Communist Party of Vietnam's General Secretary Tô Lâm at the party’s headquarters.
Anwar and Lâm spent 30 minutes discussing various matters related to bilateral diplomatic relations between Malaysia and Vietnam.
Besides Lâm, he also paid a courtesy call to Ramos-Horta later that evening to discuss similar matters related to bilateral relations.
After the courtesy call on Ramos Horta, Anwar spent time chairing a pre-council meeting with the Malaysian delegation before ending his busy day.
As early as 7.30am (local time) today, he led the Malaysian delegation in a breakfast meeting with the Vietnamese delegation led by Phạm, where issues of common interest were the concern of both parties.
The Prime Minister then rushed to deliver the keynote address at the Asean Future Forum, before holding an exit press conference with Malaysian media who were covering his visit.
Before departing for home, Anwar still managed to pay a courtesy call to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam's President Lương Cường.
He added that after this, Malaysia will receive visits from leaders from South Africa in March and from China in April.
“In April, Chinese President Xi Jinping will come to Malaysia and when he comes, he comes with a big delegation of business people, dozens and hundreds of them, to explore (business and trade) opportunities in Malaysia,” Anwar said.
Yesterday, Investment, Trade, and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said Malaysia had recorded approved investments totalling RM378.5 billion in 2024, the highest in its history.
This was an increase of 14.9 per cent year-on-year and the total investment reached 6,700 projects across key sectors.
The total investment was expected to create more than 207,000 new jobs, thus strengthening Malaysia's position as a leading investment destination.
Despite ongoing global economic challenges, Malaysia continues to attract significant investments, with domestic investment contributing RM208.1 billion (55.0 per cent) and foreign investment contributing RM170.4 billion (45.0 per cent).
Foreign investor confidence in Malaysia remains very strong, with strategic investments coming from five major countries, namely the United States leading with RM32.8 billion, followed by Germany (RM32.2 billion), China (RM28.2 billion), Singapore (RM27.3 billion), and Hong Kong (RM7.4 billion).
— Bernama
