Signing of trade co-op agreement with Johor State Economic Development Corporation

7/9/94

A trade co-operation agreement between Western Australia and the Johor State Economic Development Corporation (JSEDC) has been signed in the southern Malaysian city of Johor Bahru.

The Memorandum of Understanding, witnessed by Commerce and Trade Minister Hendy Cowan, provides for co-operation in the areas of science, technology, management, education services, processed foodstuffs and health and medical services.

The MOU papers were officially signed on behalf of the Government by Department of Commerce and Trade chief executive, Bruce Sutherland and for the JSEDC by chief executive Dato Mohd Ali bin Hj Hashim.

Johor is one of Malaysia's most dynamic states in terms of industrial development.

The JSEDC is a statutory agency of Johor State and has extensive investments in areas such as plantations, agri-business, food production, property management and development transport and specialist health care.  Group assets amount to well over $1 billion.

Mr Cowan said the MOU should provide a catalyst for creative and profitable projects in the future.

It allows for reciprocal visits, research studies and other exchanges.

The terms of the agreement covered development in important industries such as information technology, environmental management, food production and building and construction.

"For each one of these industries I can foresee a very big future and certainly a future in which joint ventures, joint investments and networking are likely to pay substantial dividends," Mr Cowan said.

Dato Ali identified the priority areas of co-operation for Johor as specialised health care services, manpower training and industry support.

Mr Cowan said that WA industry could play an important role through provision of technology transfer and advanced skills training.

He anticipated considerable interaction between WA's Technology Park at Bentley and a similar park being developed in Johor.

Joint projects had already been established with mutually beneficial results.

TAFE, through its College of Customised Training in WA had been working well with the JSEDC to help improve expertise in the local construction industry.

The JSEDC's specialist health care division had adopted a WA-developed hospital computer management system.  A joint venture had been arranged between Perth company, Working Systems Pty Ltd and a Malaysian company to provide the system to Kuala Lumpur's new 250 bed hospital.

In addition, Curtin and Edith Cowan universities were holding discussions with JSEDC on ways to advance nursing training in Malaysia.

"I believe the new MOU will do much to stimulate this sort of beneficial contact," Mr Cowan said.

"Both parties to the agreement will establish their own working groups to define and monitor the aims and results of each program.

"There will also be regular contacts between the two."

The MOU is for a three year period and will be subject to renewal.

Media contact:  Peter Jackson  (09) 222 9595