Sabah, Kazakhstan explore tourism, investment ties
Published on: Fri, Jul 04, 2025 Text Size: Nordin (second right) during the recent visit to Kazakhstan. ASTANA: Kazakhstan has expressed interest in boosting tourism ties with Sabah, aiming to attract more Kazakh visitors to Kota Kinabalu and Semporna in the near future. Asean Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) Sabah Chapter President Datuk Nordin Ening said the country is also offering unique winter holiday experiences in return, including snow jet-skiing, cable cars, and winter tourism packages.
Advertisement Speaking after a recent three-day working visit to Kazakhstan, Nordin noted that existing direct flights between Almaty and Kuala Lumpur are supporting this potential, with AirAsia expected to increase frequency to five weekly flights. He added that Kazakhstan is also inviting Malaysian investors to explore joint ventures in key projects such as conveyor belt manufacturing, mineral waste processing, oil fields, and electric vehicle (EV) production involving Proton. Nordin said Kazakhstan has shown interest in developing Islamic banking, fintech, and student exchange programmes with Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), and called on Sabah agencies and industry players to pursue these opportunities strategically. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Express
21 minutes ago
- Daily Express
Ambalat issue: Joint development proposal yet to be finalised
Published on: Friday, July 04, 2025 Published on: Fri, Jul 04, 2025 By: Bernama Text Size: JAKARTA: Malaysia's Deputy Foreign Minister, Datuk Mohamad Alamin, stated that the proposal for Malaysia and Indonesia to jointly develop economic potential in the Sulawesi Sea area has yet to be finalised. He said that several processes must be considered beforehand, especially securing the views and consent of the Sabah State Government. Advertisement He added that the existing consultation mechanisms between the Federal Government and the Sabah State Government will be fully utilised, including the Action Council for Implementation of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MTPMA63), which is chaired by the Prime Minister, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, and Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg. 'In any case, the joint development in the Sulawesi Sea remains under consideration and has indeed not yet been finalised,' he said in a Facebook post on Friday. Mohamad noted that the proposal for joint developmet in the Sulawesi Sea involving Blocks ND6 and ND7 — referred to by Indonesia as 'Ambalat' — is not new, as the area is reported to hold significant natural resources such as oil and gas. According to him, in 2022, the Prime Minister at the time had directed Petronas to consider conducting a study on the proposed joint development (JD) initiative. Most recently, Mohamad said that the issue concerning Blocks ND6 and ND7 was also raised during Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's working visit to Jakarta on June 27. 'This matter was indeed discussed. However, it has not yet been finalised. In fact, the Prime Minister himself stated that the interests of the Sabah region must be taken into account and considered fairly,' he explained. Mohamad said Malaysia and Indonesia are still unable to explore the two blocks, as the area remains under dispute in terms of maritime boundaries between the two countries. 'Given the significant economic potential — while the process of finalising maritime boundaries in the Sulawesi Sea between the two countries is still ongoing — some parties have proposed that Malaysia and Indonesia jointly develop this potential.' Mohamad emphasised that the process of finalising the maritime boundary in the Sulawesi Sea is a long-term and complex effort, carried out through a Technical Committee led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The committee comprises various government agencies, including the Sabah State Government, the National Security Council (Sabah), the Sabah Attorney General's Office, the Department of Survey and Mapping Malaysia (JUPEM), the Sabah Lands and Surveys Department, as well as other relevant technical agencies. Mohamad stressed that the Malaysian Government remains committed to thoroughly examining the matter and reaching a mutual understanding through negotiations based on existing mechanisms. In any development, the country's sovereignty and strategic interests — particularly those involving the state of Sabah — will continue to be safeguarded and defended to the fullest extent, Mohamad said. He stated that the maritime boundary agreement signed with Indonesia in 2023 does not affect Malaysia's territorial rights or sovereignty over the eastern waters of Sabah. He said the Sulawesi Sea Treaty, signed on June 8, 2023 and known as the 2023 Sulawesi Treaty, only covers a portion of the territorial sea off the east coast of Sabah and does not include Malaysia's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). 'The agreement does not cover the area known as Blocks ND6 and ND7, or referred to by Indonesia as 'Ambalat', which lies within Malaysia's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) extending up to 200 nautical miles.' Mohamad also dismissed allegations that the Malaysian Government had compromised Sabah's territorial rights and sovereignty to Indonesia following the signing of the 2023 Sulawesi Treaty. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
The Sun
21 minutes ago
- The Sun
Tetra Pak sees strong growth potential beyond daily sector
HO CHI MINH CITY: Tetra Pak, a Swedish-Swiss multinational food processing and packaging solutions company, sees strong growth potential in Malaysia and across Asia-Pacific beyond the milk category, said its president and CEO Adolfo Orive. He highlighted growing consumer demand for a variety of beverages such as plant-based, fruit juices, coffee, iced tea, protein-enriched, oatmeal and energy products, signalling a broader shift in the Malaysian and regional beverage markets. Orive said that globally, the demand for protein is on the rise, and Malaysia is no exception, protein is becoming increasingly important to consumers. The whole of Asia-Pacific is a great source of those new beverage categories, he said. 'Our role is to support a wide range of products tailored to different age groups, lifestyles and consumption. 'We commit to making food safe and available everywhere, and that is what we have been doing for more than 75 years,' he told Bernama. Additionally, Orive stressed the importance of sustainable packaging solutions that have a positive impact on the environment – currently, about 70% of Tetra Pak's packaging materials come from renewable sources, contributing to lower carbon dioxide emissions. 'We believe our packaging is already a strong and positive option in terms of sustainability, and we are committed to going further. 'Our goal is to keep investing in innovations that make our packaging even more sustainable for society as a whole,' he said. Tetra Pak has invested about €500 million (RM2.49 billion) in research and development over the past five years, underscoring its commitment to innovation, sustainability and meeting the evolving needs of the global food and beverage industry. On Thursday, Tetra Pak announced the expansion of its facility in Binh Duong, Vietnam, with the launch of Phase 2, following an additional investment of €97 million. This follows the inauguration of Phase 1 in 2019, as the company aims to better serve the growing demands of Vietnam and the broader Asia-Pacific markets. Serving as a regional production hub, Tetra Pak Binh Duong supplies packaging solutions to Vietnam and several key Asia-Pacific markets, including Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, Australia and New Zealand. The production capacity at Tetra Pak's Binh Duong facility has reached 30 billion packs annually. Currently, Tetra Pak operates an office in Malaysia, which primarily serves all consumers and customers in the country. Among the notable companies using Tetra Pak's packaging in Malaysia are Fraser & Neave Holdings Bhd, Farm Fresh Bhd, and Nestle. Asia-Pacific remains one of the world's most dynamic food and beverage markets, valued at US$667 billion (RM2.8 billion) in 2023 and projected to reach US$900 billion by 2028. Meanwhile, Tetra Pak Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines and Indonesia managing director Michael Wu said the company views Malaysia as a stable and reliable market. 'We see Malaysia as a secure baseline, and each year we target around 2% to 3% value growth to stay ahead of inflation. At the same time, we see strong potential to drive more innovation here,' he said. Wu noted that many of the products launched by customers in Malaysia have been in the market for years, and there is a clear opportunity to introduce new offerings, especially for younger and more diverse consumer segments. 'Malaysia is uniquely multiracial, with Malays, Chinese, Indians (and other ethnic groups), as well as a growing number of foreign tourists or residents. That diversity presents a valuable opportunity to innovate,' he explained. Before its expansion, Tetra Pak's Binh Duong facility supplied only 60% of the packaging materials used in Malaysia. However, following the upgrade, over 95% of the packaging material for the Malaysian market is now produced at the Binh Duong site, he said.
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Ambalat issue: Proposal for joint development in Sulawesi Sea yet to be finalised
JAKARTA: Malaysia's Deputy Foreign Minister, Datuk Mohamad Alamin (pic), stated that the proposal for Malaysia and Indonesia to jointly develop economic potential in the Sulawesi Sea area has yet to be finalised. He said that several processes must be considered beforehand, especially securing the views and consent of the Sabah State Government. He added that the existing consultation mechanisms between the Federal Government and the Sabah State Government will be fully utilised, including the Action Council for Implementation of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MTPMA63), which is chaired by the Prime Minister, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, and Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg. "In any case, the joint development in the Sulawesi Sea remains under consideration and has indeed not yet been finalised,' he said in a Facebook post on Friday (July 4). Mohamad noted that the proposal for joint developmet in the Sulawesi Sea involving Blocks ND6 and ND7 - referred to by Indonesia as "Ambalat' - is not new, as the area is reported to hold significant natural resources such as oil and gas. According to him, in 2022, the Prime Minister at the time had directed Petronas to consider conducting a study on the proposed joint development (JD) initiative. Most recently, Mohamad said that the issue concerning Blocks ND6 and ND7 was also raised during Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's working visit to Jakarta on June 27. "This matter was indeed discussed. However, it has not yet been finalised. In fact, the Prime Minister himself stated that the interests of the Sabah region must be taken into account and considered fairly,' he explained. Mohamad said Malaysia and Indonesia are still unable to explore the two blocks, as the area remains under dispute in terms of maritime boundaries between the two countries. "Given the significant economic potential - while the process of finalising maritime boundaries in the Sulawesi Sea between the two countries is still ongoing - some parties have proposed that Malaysia and Indonesia jointly develop this potential.' Mohamad emphasised that the process of finalising the maritime boundary in the Sulawesi Sea is a long-term and complex effort, carried out through a Technical Committee led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The committee comprises various government agencies, including the Sabah State Government, the National Security Council (Sabah), the Sabah Attorney General's Office, the Department of Survey and Mapping Malaysia (JUPEM), the Sabah Lands and Surveys Department, as well as other relevant technical agencies. Mohamad stressed that the Malaysian Government remains committed to thoroughly examining the matter and reaching a mutual understanding through negotiations based on existing mechanisms. In any development, the country's sovereignty and strategic interests - particularly those involving the state of Sabah - will continue to be safeguarded and defended to the fullest extent, Mohamad said. He stated that the maritime boundary agreement signed with Indonesia in 2023 does not affect Malaysia's territorial rights or sovereignty over the eastern waters of Sabah. He said the Sulawesi Sea Treaty, signed on June 8, 2023 and known as the 2023 Sulawesi Treaty, only covers a portion of the territorial sea off the east coast of Sabah and does not include Malaysia's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). "The agreement does not cover the area known as Blocks ND6 and ND7, or referred to by Indonesia as 'Ambalat', which lies within Malaysia's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) extending up to 200 nautical miles.' Mohamad also dismissed allegations that the Malaysian Government had compromised Sabah's territorial rights and sovereignty to Indonesia following the signing of the 2023 Sulawesi Treaty. - Bernama
