Background Information
The activities on S the field of outh South-Cooperation of Malaysia are coordinated by the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP), established in 1980. The MTCP works with a number of modalities of technical cooperation implemented in other developing countries already since the 1960s. The MTCP emphasizes the development of human resources through the provision of training in areas such as public administration, agriculture development, development planning, poverty alleviation, diplomacy, information and telecommunications technology, investment promotion, central banking and English language among others. Malaysia has provided information about the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP). Malaysia has contributed significantly on the auspices of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-Mekong Basin Development Cooperation agreement sending expert missions among other activities. Malaysia has also interacted with some African countries, as the example of Algeria to cooperate on issues related to economic diversification. MTCP also provided supplies and equipment to support development projects in other countries. Over 133 countries have benefited from MTCP, especially, from ASEAN, OIC, Commonwealth Countries, G-15 and D-8 countries. The Malaysia's philosophy is to “promoting smart partnerships, regional cooperation such as that of ASEAN-East Asia and a united South-South position”.
Examples of Key Projects of Malaysia
| MTCP – ASEAN Japan Tripartite |
The MTCP in cooperation with the ASEAN-Japan Tripartite Joint Development Project, aimed at accelerating the pace of reconstruction and rehabilitation in Cambodia, also dispatched from 1994 till 2001, 53 Malaysians technicians from GIAT-MARA. These technicians provided skills training to war veterans and displaced persons in three Cambodian districts in the field of electrical installation, motorcycle repair, metal fabrication, brick lying, tiling, carpentry and plumbing. With these skills, it is expected that the recipients would be engaged in income-generating activities thus, assist in poverty alleviation. |
| MASSCORP |
The Malaysian South-South Corporation (MASSCORP) established in 1992 as a consortium
comprising 85 Malaysian share holders, acting as a business information dissemination centre to enhance linkages among the G15 and African member countries plays an important role as a link between Malaysia and South countries. MASSCORP has established the Malaysia-Chile Business Council and Malaysia-South Africa Business Council in Malaysia as well as the Malaysian Business Centre in Kampala, a plays an important role as a link between Malaysia and South countries.
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| ASEAN-Mekong Basin Development Cooperation Programme |
Under the ASEAN-Mekong Basin Development Cooperation Programme, the MTCP provided training and human resource development in ground water resource development to the CLMV countries. The MTCP also provided special training courses in 1999- 2001 for D-8 member countries comprising Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey in the areas of central banking, capital market development and management of privatization based on the Malaysian experience. |
| Agriculture |
Malaysia is sharing knowledge and experience in dealing with areas of the development process, especially in niche areas in which Malaysia has gained advantage through many years of research and development such as in oil palm plantation management, agriculture development and management of veterinary services. In 2002, the Malaysian Agriculture Research Institute (MARDI) has sent expertise to Malawi for the establishment of a Project Management Office (PMO) and the training of the locals in the various aspects of integrated farm management. This project had duration of two years..
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| Education and training |
One of the activities of MTCP on education and training field is the short-term courses with less than three months duration. On average, these courses run for four weeks. This short-term training is in diverse areas where Malaysia has acquired expertise, whereby 66 scheduled courses are currently available annually in 22 training institutions and government agencies. These courses range from public administration and management, productivity improvement, civil aviation, ICT, central banking, agriculture management, veterinary services, fisheries, radio broadcasting and TV production, investment promotion, property valuation, tax administration, cooperative management, palm oil plantation management as well as fire fighting and English Language. One of key recipient countries of Malaysian’s technical cooperation on the area of training programmes are especially economies in transition as well as countries which are in the throes of reconstruction. These countries include Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV), Bosnia and Herzegovina (BH), East Timor and Afghanistan.
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| Study Visits |
The MTCP also organized study visits and attachment programmes for many requesting countries. Study visits and practical attachments form the second major component of the MTCP. They are designed to enable practitioners in the field and staff at various levels in the related public agencies to acquire knowledge through exposure to actual workstations. Study visit and practical attachments entail observation of methods, procedures and techniques of work implementation in related fields, visit to sites and projects, formal training, case studies and involvement in actual work situation. These study visits are usually for duration of one to two weeks while attachments are for a slightly longer period. From 1981 – 2002, Malaysia received a total of 1,398 of such participants. These study visits and attachments provided participants with the Malaysian experience in a wide range of areas such as poverty eradication, development planning, privatization, public administration, investment promotion and project planning.
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| Expert Missions |
Since 1992, experts in agriculture, banking, anti-corruption, energy as well as a legal advisor and technicians have been sent under the MTCP, respectively, to Oman, Namibia, Fiji, Tanzania, Kazakhstan and Cambodia. Three micro-credit experts from USM and Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM) were also dispatched to South Africa to assist the Women's Development Bank. |
| Trade and Investmentsre |
Malaysia is a key trade partner in ASEAN creating opportunities of trade to many developing countries in the region as to other parties of the world. The Government of Malaysia has, through the prosper-thy-neighbour policy, encouraged local firms to invest in other developing countries and is working to promote mutually beneficial trade and investment relations with other countries in the South. Total investment by the Government in other developing countries amounted to $4.8 billion in 2006. In addition, the Government has signed 56 investment guarantee agreements with other countries in the South to encourage and foster the flow of investments with other developing countries. Total overseas investment by Malaysia increased from $3 billion in 2005 to $5.9 billion in 2006.
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Source: Ministry of Foreign Relations of Malaysia and Ministry of Economic Planning Unit
Homepages: http://www.kln.gov.my and http://www.epu.jpm.my/Bi/mtcp/MTCPFRAME.htm
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