Minister seeks closer ties with Malaysia

 TRADE, Commerce and Industry Minister Richard Maru is keen to further strengthen trade and economic relations with Malaysia.

The minister has led a 41-member Papua New Guinea delegation to the Malaysian business and investment  expo and said the two countries had a strong relation in almost all the areas of cooperation since diplomatic relations were established after 1975.

Total trade between the two countries increased from K407 million in 2010 to K1.64 billion in 2011 and is currently in Malaysia’s favour.

Small and medium enterprise (SME) owners in the PNG delegation expressed satisfaction and gratitude to see first-hand how Malaysian business people succeeded.  

The delegation visited the Iskandar Malaysia Industrial Park, a strategic economic zone and expressed admiration for what has been identified as a catalyst and high-impact developments that set the country on the road to success.

“The Government  is focusing on education but this is not the solution to our employment problem and development,’’ Maru said.