Malaysia's mix of strong economic performance, its harmonious multi-racial population and strong regional leadership makes the country one of Australia's most important partners.
Partners back on track
AN agreement on free trade, which the Canberra and Kuala Lumpur governments are determined to conclude this year, will mark a new high-point in the sometimes complex relationship between Australia and Malaysia.
Dynamic diversity
MALAYSIA is on course to achieve its goal of attaining the status of a developed, rather than a developing, nation by the year 2020.
Export drive for biofuels
AS a net exporter of oil, the fuel crisis is not a fatal blow to the Malaysian economy. However its palm oil plantation companies, in partnership with the Malaysian Palm Oil Board, are planning to build three 60,000-tonne plants to export biodiesel from next year.
Prospects ripe for Australia
AUSTRALIAN investment in Malaysia, which at one time was quite substantial, is now at an all-time low. It dwindled during the financial crisis of 1997 and many of the companies that withdrew at that time have not returned.
Winning formula
WITH roughly equal populations and strong commodity-based export industries) Australia and Malaysia share similar objectives in the realm of international trade.
Banks want the 'pillow money' to grow
WHEN the savings bank that manages what it says is the world's largest voluntary trust fund, placed an additional one billion units of a share scheme on the market two months ago, there was little doubt that they would be snapped up quickly.
Ready for the big time
MALAYSIA'S banking sector is scheduled for liberalisation next year and preparations are already being made at home and abroad for a more competitive environment to emerge.
Best and brightest
IT was clear that education was at the top of the government's agenda on March 31, when Prime Minister Abullah Badawi introduced a new five-year Malaysia Plan and announced that of its 200 billion ringgit budget, a healthy one-fifth would be allocated to the sector.
Garden for dreams to grow
ISN'T the dream of every student, from primary school all the way to university, to attend class surrounded by a tropical garden instead of a boring classroom?
Proud heritage
EFFORTS to have the historic city of Georgetown on the island of Penang declared a Unesco world heritage site have so far been unsuccessful.
Zone set for takeoff
PENANG, which consists of the island itself and the strip of land that lies alongside it on the north-west coast of the Malaysian peninsula, is the country's only state in which ethnic Chinese are in a majority.
Rich rewards on our doostep
A quarter of a million Australians visited Malaysia last year. This was a 27 per cent increase on 2004 and the numbers are expected to increase by 40 per cent over the next four years.
