Positioning ECER Malaysia as the preferred investment destination for German RV manufacturers
FRANKFURT, GERMANY, 15 JUNE 2022: The East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC) is pursuing investment from renowned German recreational vehicle (RV) manufacturing companies in an effort to position the East Coast Economic Region (ECER) of Malaysia as the preferred investment destination for RV manufacturing and assembly.
Following the increase in demand for safer options to travel and be closer to nature during the pandemic as well as the growing number of RV enthusiasts worldwide, ECERDC has taken steps to attract established foreign RV industry players to explore investment and business opportunities in ECER Malaysia since 2021.
“ECERDC has started the initiative to attract RV industry players for more than a year, and in February, they accepted ECERDC’s invitation to come to Malaysia, and specifically ECER. Further to that visit, an ECERDC delegation is in Germany to meet potential investors who are looking into manufacturing and making Malaysia into a hub for manufacturing of caravans and motorhomes, which also includes a visit to their manufacturing plants. ECERDC is working closely with the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to pursue the investment and the prospect is looking bright,” said YBhg. Dato’ Baidzawi Che Mat, Chief Executive Officer of ECERDC.
Today, ECERDC and Caravaning Industrie Verband e.V. (CIVD), who represents German RV industry players signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalise the collaboration between ECERDC and CIVD to spearhead the development of the RV industry in ECER Malaysia. This is further to the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) signed in April 2022.
The MoU was signed by YBhg. Dato’ Baidzawi Che Mat on behalf of ECERDC and CIVD was represented by its Managing Director, Daniel Onggowinarso. The signing was witnessed by the Head of the Malaysian delegation, YBhg. Dato’ Sri Norazman Ayob, Deputy Secretary General of MITI and Mr. Jost Krüger, Head of the Technology, Environment and Infrastructure Department, Germany.
“The MoU will enable ECERDC to leverage on CIVD’s knowledge, expertise and experience in the RV industry to develop ECER’s RV industry eco-system guidelines, best-practices as well as to identify and introduce strategic industry partners or potential investors for the manufacturing of RVs in ECER Malaysia. It will assist our initiative in establishing ECER as the hub for manufacturing of RV vehicles and put Malaysia on the map for RV enthusiasts across the region. Our collaboration is a milestone and we look forward to securing FDIs which to date has attracted two confirmed interest from renowned RV manufacturers and suppliers” said YBhg. Dato’ Baidzawi Che Mat.
“ECER of Malaysia has many beautiful destinations with tremendous potential to be developed as RV tourism sites. During our visit in February to explore investment and business opportunities for the RV industry in Malaysia, we have engaged with ministries and agencies and visited ECER’s automotive manufacturing hub; the Pekan Automotive Park in Pahang and also ECERDC’s Pahang Technology Park as potential investment locations for German RV manufacturers,” said Daniel Onggowinarso.
The Malaysian delegation also met with representatives from Mercedes Benz AG to discuss potential collaborations with the RV manufacturers, as well as with one of the leading RV park operators in Germany to explore the possibility of jointly developing the first world-class RV park in Malaysia. In relation to this, the delegation also visited established RV camping sites such as Strandcamping Waging am See and Camping Holmenrhof to observe the infrastructure, facilities and services, and to understand the business model of RV parks in Germany.
The potential for the RV Industry goes beyond the investment into the manufacturing sector and jobs related to it, but will also spur the untapped local economic potential in the tourism industry. Malaysia, especially the East Coast, has many tourism destinations and ECERDC has already identified several locations that could be potential RV parks in the region.