Latest news with #Malaysia-Thailand
The Star
3 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Malaysia-Thailand collaboration in agriculture set for major expansion
BANGKOK, May 30 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is committed to renewing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Agricultural Cooperation with Thailand, said Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu. He stated that the Malaysia-Thailand MoU, which has been in place for over 50 years, requires a comprehensive review and improvement of most of its terms. "The MoU reflects our shared goals of strengthening bilateral collaboration in areas such as sustainable agriculture, technology transfer, research, and food security. "We have submitted our latest draft of the MoU to the Thai ministry, and we hope to receive their feedback soon," he told Bernama on Friday. Earlier, Mohamad, who led the Malaysian delegation on a four-day working visit to Thailand, made a courtesy call on Thailand's Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry, Narumon Pinyosinwat, before both parties held a bilateral meeting. Mohamad noted that Malaysia, aims to achieve a higher self-sufficiency level in agricultural production by 2030. This goal is to be realised through a sustainable, resilient, and technology-driven agro-food industry that prioritises food security. "Our discussions today reaffirm the strong and enduring partnership between Malaysia and Thailand in the agriculture sector. "I am encouraged by the shared commitment to deepen our collaboration and address common challenges in food security, sustainable agriculture, and innovation," he said. He also highlighted that Thailand is Malaysia's main trading partner in the agri-food sector and selected agricultural products. "Bilateral agricultural trade between Malaysia and Thailand continued to show positive performance in 2024, with the total trade value of agricultural products reaching RM20.96 billion. "This trade trend highlights the growing potential of food and agricultural product trade and demonstrates significant opportunities for both countries to further elevate the value of agricultural trade," he added. Later, Mohamad officiated the Malaysian Pavilion at the THAIFEX-Anuga Asia 2025, Asia's premier food and beverage trade show. Approximately 137 Malaysian companies participated in the trade show, held at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani from May 27 to 31. -- Bernama
Barnama
20-05-2025
- Business
- Barnama
Robust Malaysia–Thailand Ties To Boost ASEAN Agenda
By Wan Muhammad Aslah Wan Razali, Nor Farah Aqilah Mohd Sham and Nurfardlina Izzati Moktar KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 (Bernama) -- Driven by strategic cooperation, high-level engagement, and a shared vision for regional development, Malaysia and Thailand are forging a remarkable new chapter in their bilateral ties under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his Thai counterpart, Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Thailand's Ambassador to Malaysia, Lada Phumas, said bilateral relations have progressed rapidly, particularly following recent high-level engagements between the two prime ministers. bootstrap slideshow She highlighted the growing cooperation between agencies of both countries, including efforts to strengthen cross-border security and combat cybercrime. 'This is a remarkable time for us. I can describe it as dynamism, high-level engagement, and a shared strategic vision,' she said in an interview on Bernama TV's The Nation's Diplomatic Dispatch on Tuesday. The ambassador said the positive momentum in Malaysia-Thailand relations is expected to continue and contribute directly to regional cooperation, especially during Malaysia's ASEAN Chairmanship this year. 'Malaysia's ASEAN chairmanship is very important, and we are strongly committed to working together under its clear leadership. 'We aim to build regional economic growth, enhance resilience, and promote sustainable development,' she said. Lada reaffirmed Thailand's full support for Malaysia's ASEAN 2025 chairmanship theme of inclusivity and sustainability - values that she said are closely aligned with Thailand's national priorities.
The Sun
22-04-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Rising food consumption to fuel Malaysian packaging market's growth
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's packaging market is projected to grow from 20.8 billion units in 2023 to 23.7 billion units by 2028, driven primarily by rising food consumption and the rapid adoption of flexible packaging. GlobalData PLC business development manager Paul Saruviar said cost-effectiveness, convenience, and sustainability are making flexible packaging the fastest-growing segment in the sector. 'The food industry will continue to be the growth engine, accounting for up to 60% of packaging demand. With shifting consumer preferences and regulatory pressures, flexible packaging has emerged as the go-to solution for manufacturers across food and beverage categories,' he said in a presentation at the 'Unpacking Malaysia-Thailand Trade & Packaging Opportunities Ahead of ProPak Asia 2025' event today. At the same time, he said, sustainability has moved from optional to essential, adding that industry players are expected to comply with the Malaysian Plastic Sustainability Roadmap and future regulatory updates, particularly those expected to roll out by late 2025. 'Companies that fail to meet sustainability standards face potential fines and the risk of being cut from procurement lists,' he added. Paul said global trade dynamics are reshaping the regional packaging landscape. 'The proposed implementation of up to 60% tariffs on Chinese goods – targeting electronics, plastics, metals, and food – has triggered a broader supply chain realignment. 'Multinational companies are increasingly looking towards Southeast Asia as part of a 'China Plus One' strategy. Malaysia, in particular, is emerging as a preferred destination for relocating packaging and manufacturing operations due to its strategic trade position and regulatory stability.' Paul said the shift offers a major export opportunity for Malaysian converters, especially those producing plastic resins, flexible films, and paperboard packaging. 'As global brands move production closer to Malaysia or diversify out of China, demand for locally sourced packaging materials is expected to rise.' Further, the tariff landscape also brings challenges, Paul said. 'Raw material imports from China such as polymer resins, films, and foils are expected to become more expensive, as Chinese exporters pass on costs incurred from US tariffs to other markets. This secondary impact could push local players to fast-track the use of domestic and alternative materials to maintain pricing competitiveness.' As cost pressures mount globally, he said, Malaysia's packaging ecosystem stands to benefit, particularly converters and suppliers who can offer sustainable, high-performance solutions tailored to a changing global trade environment.
The Sun
22-04-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Thailand keen to tap into Malaysia's halal market strength to advance its future food export strategy
KUALA LUMPUR: Thailand is looking into Malaysia's halal market strength as a key pillar in advancing its future food export strategy, as both countries push for deeper collaboration under the Asean framework. Thai Chamber of Commerce vice-chairman Visit Limlurcha said one key area of focus is building a regional roadmap that ensures trade resilience. 'Asean must maintain at least 50–60% intra-regional trade capacity to buffer against external shocks and preserve access to markets such as the United States and China. In this context, Thailand sees strong potential in integrating Malaysia's established halal certification ecosystem with its own abundant raw material resources. 'Malaysia has a lot of halal market access, while Thailand has a lot of raw materials. We can exchange and help each other,' he told reporters at the 'Unpacking Malaysia-Thailand Trade & Packaging Opportunities ahead of ProPak Asia 2025' event today. Visit said the synergy aligns with Thailand's policy shift towards producing more 'future food', which is food that is sustainable, health-focused and designed to meet the needs of new generations. 'The food we are developing is not just for nutrition, but for sustainability and innovation.' Visit pointed out that Malaysia holds an advantage in developing functional and high-value ingredients, beyond traditional food commodities, which could complement Thailand's production capabilities. 'Malaysia has roadmaps that can turn raw products into functional ingredients. We need to work together to unlock that value,' he said. Further, Visit highlighted the urgent need for regional alignment to address global economic uncertainties, including slowing trade, US tariffs, and post-pandemic recovery. 'We all face the same problem, so we need to prepare ourselves well, not just Thailand and Malaysia, but Asean as a whole.' With Malaysia taking over the Asean chairmanship this year, Visit said, both countries are intensifying cross-border dialogue. 'This is a very good time for Malaysia. Both the government and private sectors are in close conversation, and we have a meeting coming up next month to align on these matters,' he said, noting that many of these topics would be tabled in the upcoming Asean agenda. Visit acknowledged that Thai food exports to Malaysia have been declining in recent years, attributing this to the broader global economic slowdown. 'Once the situation improves, the numbers will bounce back, and with stronger collaboration, we can do more than before,' he said. The Thai Chamber of Commerce is working to support small and medium enterprises through the turbulent times, he noted. 'We had a big crisis during Covid-19. Now, with new challenges like US tariffs, we are focused on helping SMEs navigate what is coming next,' Visit said.
Malay Mail
22-04-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Transport minister: Asean rail link vital to weather global supply shocks
PUTRAJAYA, April 22 — The Malaysia-Thailand rail connectivity to the Asian continent, including China, is important in terms of supply chain security and safety, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook. He said the development of rail infrastructure is important from a regional perspective, not just domestically, with the aim of connecting Asean member countries through a more strategic railway network. 'When we can connect via rail between these countries, first of all, it is regional connectivity and also very important in terms of supply chain security because the world today is experiencing various uncertainties and disruptions,' he said. He told the media after the monthly assembly of the Ministry of Transport (MOT) and the Raikan Kasih Madani 2025 event, here today. Loke said Malaysia, which is located in the middle of the strategic route of the Straits of Malacca and the South China Sea, has the advantage of being a link between western and eastern countries. Therefore, he said the region should make full use of existing railways to improve connectivity. 'We hope that at the Asean level there is a consensus so that we can improve this connectivity. When we have improved this connectivity, of course other countries will also be interested, especially landlocked countries,' he said. To realise the Pan-Asian Railway Network, Loke said Malaysia is committed to achieving a policy with Thailand that is more supportive of the development of the rail sector. Loke said he would meet with Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Suriya Juangroongruangkit on May 2 to resolve several issues, including Malaysia's rail cargo services being able to cross borders and become a major mode in the future. He said, for example, among the existing obstacles were certain restrictions on the movement of goods by rail between Malaysia and Thailand, where there were categories of goods that were not allowed to be transported by rail across borders. 'Things like this must be resolved so that we can reduce these barriers to enhance trade in Asean.' Loke said Malaysia is the host of the Asean summit next month and the main agenda is to steer the region in facing the current challenges. 'The most important challenge at this time is that the increase in tariffs by the United States has made the global economy increasingly tense. 'What is important for Asean is to ensure that availability or the level of competitiveness remains high and to ensure that trade within Asean can be improved so that we can reduce trade dependence on only one market,' he said. Therefore, Loke said MOT plays a major role in ensuring that trade between Asean can be improved through the implementation of policy instruments so that democratic red tape and restrictions within Asean can be reduced. Loke said cooperation between Malaysia and Thailand is established through Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) and State Railway of Thailand (SRT) but what is important is government-to-government (G2G) cooperation. The Pan-Asian Railway Network is also known as the Kunming-Singapore Railway Network, connecting the city of Kunming in China with Singapore, via several South-east Asian countries. It is a mega project that connects South-east Asia with China and then to the European continent. Malaysia plays a key role in the Pan-Asian Railway Network, particularly through the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) Project which connects the East and West Coasts of Peninsular Malaysia. — Bernama
