I made a four-day official visit to Malaysia from 27 to 30 May, on the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Mahathir. I was accompanied by the Minister for Tourism and Trade and a delegation that included representatives of 19 Irish companies drawn from the healthcare, education/training, software, engineering, food and aviationrelated sectors.
The visit was a follow-up to the visit to Ireland last September by the Prime Minister, a number of his Ministers and a trade delegation from Malaysia.
The most significant events of the visit to Malaysia were: meeting the Prime Minister and a number of his Ministers to discuss issues of mutual concern to our two countries, especially co-operation in the economic and business field: the signing of six memoranda of understanding between Irish companies and their Malaysian counterparts for contracts with a potential value of £40 million to the Irish companies; briefings on Malaysian development plans, in particular on the major project to build a new international airport due for completion in 1997 with an initial capacity of 25 million passengers at a cost of US $650 million for the first phase; addressing some 300 members of the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia on the advantages of investing in Ireland as a base for doing business in Europe; welcoming the lauch of an Irish-Malaysian Business Council; the signing of a Co-operation Agreement between the National Chamber in Malaysia and the Dublin Chamber of Commerce; and meeting members of the Irish community who have been making a greatly appreciated contribution to Malaysian life.
I am satisfied that my visit to Malaysia was successful in meeting its objectives. The contracts being finalised by the Irish companies who participated in the trade delegation and the business development flowing from the visit will lead to the maintenance and creation of much needed jobs in this country.