M'sia has benefitted from China's capital investment of US$43.8 bln

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has been a major beneficiary of Chinese capital with investment totalling US$43.8 billion ($US1=RM4.131) over the past 10 years, according to Knight Frank’s New Frontiers: Prospects for Real Estate Along the Belt and Road Initiative report released recently.

In a statement yesterday, Knight Frank said the report was aimed at helping investors and occupiers understand potential opportunities that China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) could generate beyond its borders.

Commenting on the impact of BRI in Malaysia, Allan Sim, executive director of capital markets at Knight Frank Malaysia said Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir’s recent visit to China has spurred Chinese investors’ confident to return to Malaysia.

“Following the change of government in May 2018, a number of Chinese investments and projects, especially mega infrastructure projects had been deferred.

“However, the attendance of the Prime Minister and Malaysian business delegates at the recently concluded second Belt and Road Initiative Forum for International Cooperation, coupled with his intention to expedite the setting up of a one-stop centre to ease foreign investment related approvals, bring assurance and confidence to Chinese firms to reconsider investing in Malaysia,” he said.

Furthermore, Sim said with the revival of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) and Bandar Malaysia, Chinese firms will certainly be looking more seriously at Malaysia again, with the industrial segment benefitting the most.