Council members enthusiastically conveyed their support for the vision outlined by Prime Minister Najib in the New Economic Model and the 10th Malaysia Plan, and urged that the open and transparent process used to gather input from stakeholders in their creation would itself become a pillar of Malaysia’s economic policy reform agenda.

Malaysia’s joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations is symbolic of Malaysia’s emergence as an economic leader on the world stage,” said Council President Alexander Feldman. “The TPP process coupled with Malaysia’s own domestic economic reforms will help drive the government’s agenda of enhancing the regional competitiveness of Malaysia’s economy. Forward looking decisions like this by the Malaysian government have helped build excitement about Malaysia and create a real foundation for continued growth.”

The Deputy Prime Minister’s meeting with Council members was a continuation of discussions began during the Council’s Business Mission to Kuala Lumpur in November of 2010. During the Business Mission, the Council presented an award to Malaysia in recognition of its efforts to transform its national economy and leadership in deepening American economic ties with Malaysia and ASEAN. The award was accepted on behalf of Prime Minister Najib by Tan Sri Dato' Nor Mohamed Yakcop, Minister to the Prime Minister.

The Deputy Prime Minister was accompanied by Malaysia’s Ambassador to the United States, Dato Tan Sri Dr. Jamaluddin Jarjis and senior officials from MIDA including Director General Datuk Jalilah Baba.

Council member companies in attendance included Oracle, ACE Group, AT&T, The Coca-Cola Company, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, General Electric, The Hills’ Companies, Motorola, Murphy Oil, Pfizer, and Visa International.

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The US-ASEAN Business Council represents over 100 major U.S. Corporations, ranging from those who have been active in Southeast Asia for over 100 years to newcomers looking to expand their presence in one of the world’s most dynamic markets. The Council’s sectoral working groups, including Customs, Defense & Security, Energy, Financial Services, Food and Agriculture, Health & Life Sciences, Information & Communications Technology, and Infrastructure, bring together the pre-eminent companies in their fields to enable high-level dialogues that help resolve issues and drive innovation and investment. With long-established personal and professional relationships in ASEAN and Washington, the Council is the most effective conduit between decision-makers on both sides of the Pacific.

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For Further Information Please contact Anthony Nelson at anelson@usasean.org.