PUTRAJAYA, July 23 (Bernama) -- The Entry Point Project 2(EPP2) programme
contributed to 2,210 new jobs and more than RM318 million in services export
value in the first quarter of this year, said Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr
S. Subramaniam today.
This represented a 50.2 per cent rise in new jobs and a nine per cent
increase in the services export value.
Dr Subramaniam, who is also the minister heading the Business Services
National Key Economic Area (NKEA), said the EPP2 programme successfully added 14
new companies in the services sector from December last year till now with the
potential of more than 4,600 job opportunities and millions of ringgit in
investment.
These companies operate in the industries of oil and gas, consultancy,
logistics, tourism and technology which also cover services such as financial
and accounting servics, shared services, outsourcing of human resources and
engineering services.
In the first half of this year, the EPP2 programme brought in significant
foreign investments into Malaysia with the potential of creating high value
jobs, he said.
"These companies will play an important role in the development of Malaysian
talents through a process and system that is of world class," he told a press
conference prior to chairing the NKEA Business Services meeting here today.
Among the companies are American International Group (AIG) Chartis
Inc, American Insurance Association (AIA), Frost & Sullivan, Air Products Shared
Services Sdn Bhd and DONG Energy IT Malaysia Sdn Bhd.
Dr Subramaniam said the EPP2 will also focus on growing the shared services
sector and developing outsourcers capable of competing at the international
level.
He said the EPP2 will drive the shared services sector and outsourcing
services towards contributing RM6.9 billion to further increase the country''s
income and creating more than 43,000 high-paid jobs by the year 2020.
He said the market for off-shore outsourced IT in the region was set to grow
from US$867.5 million in 2010 to US$2.11 billion by 2015.
This year''s EPP2 programme will also pay attention to strengthening measures
taken last year to drive the transformation programme for local companies, and
attracting multinational companies for increased foreign investments, he
added.--BERNAMA
GK SD