Malaysia To Host Economic Roundtable In Vienna

Datuk Selwyn DasFrom Caroline Jackson

VIENNA, Sept 28 (Bernama) -- Malaysia will host an economic roundtable here on October 9 to promote the country's investment and trade opportunities, says Malaysian Ambassador to Austria Datuk Selwyn Das.

Selwyn, who is also the Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) in Vienna, said Malaysia and Austria not only enjoyed excellent diplomatic ties but the country was also considered a good investment destination.

He said the event would be jointly organised by the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation office in Frankfurt and the Malaysian embassy here.

"Since our embassy was established in 1962, we have enjoyed very good relations with Austria and this was evident by Austrian President Heinz Fischer's visit to Malaysia in 2010.

"When I presented my credentials to him last October, he still remembered Malaysia very fondly," he told Bernama.

Given that Vienna was one of the UN's four headquarters cities, including the base for international organisations such as the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), he said both countries have collaborated on many international issues.

"We follow and monitor issues closely and protect our national interests, for example the resolutions passed at the just-concluded IAEA scientific forum here that can benefit us," he said, adding that the country's focus at present was on trade, tourism and education.

In terms of bilateral trade, Selwyn said last year Malaysia recorded a 4.6 per cent increase in trade with Austria valued at RM1,553.3 million.

Malaysian exports to Austria comprised electric and electronic products, optical and scientific equipment, machinery, metal products, appliances and parts, chemical and chemical products.

Austria imported electrical and electronic products, machinery, appliance and parts, chemical and chemical products, paper and pulp products and scientific equipment from Malaysia, he said.

He said there were many Austrian companies operating in Malaysia such as Vamed, which built the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur and other private hospitals, and they were also active in the high-technology and construction industries.

The Malaysian embassy here is also promoting linkages with Austrian and Malaysian universities besides looking at the possibility of collaboration in healthcare and exchange of expertise to improve health care services in Malaysia, he said.

"As for tourism, more Austrians are interested in Asian culture and we received good response from them during our National Day celebration on Sept 9.

"We served Malaysian cuisine like "rendang" and "satay," he said, adding that about 13,000 Austrians visited Malaysia annually.

At present, about 300 Malaysians are residing in Austria, including 100 who are working mostly with international corporations.

Selwyn said Austria had also expressed its support for Malaysia, which was in a good position to secure a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council for the 2015-2016 term.