Finance Minister Mike de Jong told a Malaysian news outlet that the B.C. government would open a trade and investment office in a state that borders Singapore.
The Star Online reported April 24 that the office would be in the state of Johor. Reporter Nelson Benjamin interviewed de Jong by phone while the Sultan of Johor, Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, was on an official visit to B.C.
“Sultan Ibrahim is a good salesman for Johor and Malaysia, and he has been able to impress both the business community and the politicians here about investing in the state, which is next to Singapore,” de Jong told the Star Online.
De Jong did not mention a timeline or cost for the office to Benjamin.
A spokesman for de Jong forwarded Business in Vancouver’s query to the International Trade ministry, which did not deny the report.
“The B.C. government is exploring opportunities for a stronger trade presence in Southeast Asia,” Courtney Carne said via email. “When a decision is made, that information will be made public.”
When told that de Jong had already made the decision public in an interview with a Malaysian news outlet, Carne said: “All I can tell you is that when a decision is made, that information will be made public.”
The Sultan of Johor visited B.C. in late April. During his trip, the B.C. government announced a US$8 million deal for Heli-One of Delta to refurbish two of the Sultan’s helicopters.
He also visited Conair Group and Cascade Aerospace in Abbotsford, Viking Air in Sidney and Harbour Air in Vancouver and surveillance company UrtheCast.
Based on history, the Johor office will likely be operated by a contractor.
For the year ended March 31, 2015, the B.C. government spent $6.2 million on contracts with companies to act as offshore trade and investment agents for B.C. in eight cities in Asia.
Ho Hing Consultancy received $2.13 million to represent B.C. in Beijing and Shanghai, and Pacific Coast Co. Ltd. was paid $1.04 million as the agent in Seoul.
Other contractors were Dynasty Plus Ltd., Hong Kong ($898,493), Agamya Business Services LLP, Bangalore, Chandigarh and Mumbai, India ($895,916) and Jiayue Business Consulting Co. Ltd., Guangzhou ($567,511).
Malaysian state oil and gas company Petronas is proposing, through its Pacific Northwest LNG subsidiary, a $36 billion liquefied natural gas export facility near Prince Rupert. Members of area First Nations are petitioning the federal government and United Nations to block the project, which has yet to receive regulatory approval. A final investment decision has been delayed by the global oil and gas slump.
