Tengku Zafrul said the country needs partners such as Boeing to share its technology and help make sustainable manufacturing a reality in Malaysia.
“I hope Boeing is willing to share such technologies with its Malaysian suppliers because globally, our chance to quickly reduce greenhouse gases is fast running out,” he told reporters at the opening of the Boeing-Naico Aerospace Supply Chain Forum here today.
“We need both speed and scale to accelerate the institutionalising of our sustainable manufacturing practices,” he added.
He expressed hope that there would be more incentives and allocations for the aerospace industry in Malaysia under Budget 2024, which will be tabled for debate at the Dewan Rakyat on Friday.
Tengku Zafrul said a request for higher allocation for the industry has already been made. “While the policies are there to support the industry, more incentives will definitely help,” he said.
He said the extra incentives would help to support and complement the missions outlined in the New Industrial Master Plan (NIMP) 2030 and the Malaysian Aerospace Blueprint 2030 initiated by the government.
He also commended Boeing and Naico (National Aerospace Industry Corporation) for their collaboration in the aerospace supply chain forum.
He said it has brought together Boeing, a name synonymous with cutting-edge aerospace technology with the forward-looking aspirations of Malaysia’s aerospace industry.
“This partnership underscores the strategic significance and increasing importance of Malaysia’s fast-developing aerospace landscape. It also clearly demonstrates the growing confidence in our investment landscape and industry capabilities,” he said.
Under the aerospace industry blueprint, the country aims to position itself as an aerospace hub in Southeast Asia and an integral part of the global aerospace supply chain by 2030.
The blueprint outlines 41 key initiatives expected to generate an annual revenue of RM55.2 billion and create 32,000 high-income jobs by 2030.
Tengku Zafrul said the aerospace industry also plays an important role in advancing the missions outlined in the NIMP 2030, particularly on advancing economic complexity, embracing technology quickly to foster a digitally vibrant nation and pushing for net zero emission.
“In short, NIMP 2030 complements the aerospace blueprint on transforming Malaysia into a global hub for sustainable aerospace manufacturing and services,” he said.
Boeing Southeast Asia president Alex Feldman said the Boeing-Naico partnership represents a commitment to innovation, growth and progress within the aerospace sector.
“In Southeast Asia, Malaysia is a key leader in the development of the aviation industry, thanks to the government’s vision and efforts to engage with the industry. The NIMP 2030 is an example of this vision to chart the long-term plan for the development of the aerospace industry in Malaysia,” he said.
Naico is an agency under the investment, trade and industry ministry that leads Malaysia’s aerospace industry development and implementation of the blueprint.