YB Jagdeep (second from left) at launching of the forum

The inaugural ASEAN Investment & Trade Forum held in conjunction with the “9 th ASEAN Legal Alliance Annual Conference” opened at the Setia SPICE Convention Centre here today.

Present to officiate the gathering was Penang Chief Minister II YB Jagdeep Singh Deo.

In his opening address, Jagdeep welcomed the delegates from the various countries to Penang.

“I am proud to know that this forum is being held in Penang for the first time and hope that it will be held here more often. 

“As we have a conducive atmosphere to invest in Penang, it is fast attracting large corporations to do business and set up their industries here. They are exporting their manufactured goods to countries all over the world.

“We are now a global hub with industrial parks in Bayan Lepas, Batu Kawan and two more coming up. There are 315 multinational companies operating in Penang and some of them are global giants with their headquarters here.

“Even components for Tesla are manufactured here in Penang and exported back to the United States and all over the world.So, we now export to the whole world.

:”This forum is important because it is important to carry out your operations and business here,” said Jagdeep.

He also added that the state government is very investor friendly and has played a pivotal role, championing sustainable development and infrastructure projects that will pave the way for a better future for all.

“We are also an important hub for medical equipment and high technology and we welcome the rest of the world to come to Penang,” added Jagdeep.

Present was Dato’ Sri Matthew Yeoh, Chairman of the ASEAN Investment &  Trade Forum and managing partner of Yeoh Mazlina & Partners, Aloysius Wee, Chairman of ASEAN Legal Alliance, Saudah Mat Isa, Director of Matrade Penang, Ding Hong Sing, President of the Small and Medium Enterprises Association and Dato’ Sri Jason Chang, Chairman of Westwood Group Berhad.

YB Jagdeep also took time to visit the various booths and get to meet the delegates from the various countries.