Malaysia’s Pahang state, Uzbekistan stepping up inter-regional cooperation

The state of Pahang is the third largest region in Malaysia and the largest in the Malay Peninsula. The administrative center is the city of Kuantan. The population is over 1.6 million people. It is the country’s largest exporter of palm oil and rubber, a producer of fresh produce, vegetables and rice. The industry is represented mainly by enterprises for the processing of agricultural raw materials, including palm oil, rubber, timber, as well as petrochemicals and gold mining.

The state is positioned as a transport and industrial hub of the East Coast Economic Region of Malaysia, which includes the territory of several states. The automotive industry is developed, represented by such brands as DRB-HICOM, DefTech, Isuzu, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and Suzuki. Within the framework of the FEZ, the Integrated Petrochemical Complex, the Malaysian-Chinese Industrial Park, the Pahang Technopark and the Gambang Halal Park also operate.

Van Rosdi Van Ismail highly appreciated the consistent reforms being carried out in the republic aimed at accelerating the socio-economic development of the regions of the republic and improving the welfare of the population, the introduction of digital technologies in various areas, thanks to which the republic becomes more attractive to foreign investors.

The Malaysian side expressed its readiness to intensify trade and economic ties and investment cooperation, in particular in the fields of electrical, automotive, silk processing, agricultural and food industries between the state of Pahang and the regions of Uzbekistan.

It is noted that Pahang is famous for its traditional silk fabric industry, which is under the patronage of the Queen of Malaysia. In this regard, a request was made to establish links in the field of processing and manufacturing of silk products in order to study the relevant experience of Uzbekistan, as well as to establish joint production and export of finished products to Malaysia.

The head of the executive power proposed to consider the possibility of establishing twinning relations between the state and the Fergana region, which will lay the foundation for expanding cooperation between business circles and enhancing cultural and humanitarian ties between these regions.

Following the negotiations, agreements were reached on establishing an exchange of experience between the Pahang Technopark and the TexnoPark and IT Park economic zones in Uzbekistan, cooperation between the Gambang Halal Park industrial park and the Bustonlik-pharm FEZ of the Tashkent region to study the prospects for joint production halal food additives, pharmaceutical products and medicinal plants based on international halal standards.