Engineer Essay

The Malaysian Automotive and Supplier Industry
General Overview
With an annual average of 20% export surplus, Malaysia is one of the 20 largest
export nations worldwide. According to the ”Global Enabling Trade Report 2009”,
it has even achieved to continously better its position from year to year. The
report, which is launched by the World Economic Forum, lists 121 countries, among
which Malaysia is now ranked 28
th
in terms of economic attractiveness for
international investments.
Despite the world-wide crisis, Malaysia’s total trade in 2008 amounted to RM 1,185
trillion, which depicts an increase of 6,8% compared to 2007 trade balance;
exports even rose 9,6%. For the third year in a row now Malaysia surpassed the RM
1 trillion mark, with a trade surplus summing up to RM 141,883 million
1
. But the
weak global markets also affected Malysian trade at the beginning of 2009. In the
first 6 months of 2009, total trade accounted for RM 441,75 billions, depicting a
decrease of almost 30% in comparision to the first half of 2008
2
. In the second half,
however, business had already started to increase again and economy had almost
recovered its former strength by December 2009. Prognostics for the year 2010
already calculate with a rate of 3,2 % increase of GDP
3
.
Major export countries for Malaysian goods are Singapore, Japan, China, India,
Korea as well as the United States, Australia, the Netherlands and Germany among
others. In 2008, Malaysia’s largest export revenue   contribution was made by the
electrical and electronics products sector (38%). Other crucial sectors are palm oil
and palmoil-based products, crude/ refined petroleum, liquefied natural gas and
                                             
1
  The National Trtade Promotion Agency of Malaysia
2
  Malaysian Department of Statistics
3
  TradingEconomics-Global Economics Research Malaysian-German Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Market Watch...