The Hindu : Malaysian State keen on expanding cooperation

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 10, 2003

Business

Business

Malaysian State keen on expanding cooperation

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI SEPT. 9. The State of Melaka in Malaysia is keen on expanding cooperation with India especially in the areas of information technology (IT), communications, biotechnology, tourism and health care, according to Datuk Seri Mohd Ali bin Mohd Rustam, Chief Minister.

Mr. Rustam, and members of a business delegation from Melaka, including officials of promotional agencies, who had a meeting with the Confederation of Indian Industry-Southern Region (CII-SR) here on Saturday, invited investments in a $50 million Life Science Fund set up by Melaka for promotion of biotech ventures. Melaka had entered into an arrangement with the Manipal Academy for cooperation in medical education, while Wipro was helping develop application of IT for hospitals, they said.

With a per capita income of $4,000, Melaka was an ideal destination for business investments, especially keeping in mind the possibility of accessing the vast ASEAN market, the delegation emphasised.

Melaka had provided State-funded free access to cyber cafes to villages, and was implementing e-governance, the Chief Minister said. The State, which was the location for Singapore Telecom's Call Centre, had declared 2003 as the ICT year. Among the specialised products of Melaka were furniture from rubber wood, hand gloves and textiles, the meeting was told.

R. Vijayakumar, Executive Director, TIDCO (Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation), and Sudeep Jain, Managing Director, ELCOT (Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu) made presentations on the strengths of this State from the point of view of investors.

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