Monthly Activity Report of JICA Malaysia Office (The November 2011 issue) Main activities in October Promotion of Economic Partnership Terminal Evaluation of the Project on Improvement of Vocational Training System to Keep Meeting with the Needs of Industries (from late September to middle October) JICA conducted a terminal evaluation survey from September to October. The survey examined the achievement of the Project, especially the improved activities in the vocational training institutes. As the result of the survey, it is found and confirmed that vocational training institutes have had eligible staff who can access industry to revive and improve their training curriculum in order that the training curriculum may meet with the needs of industries. Lecture by JICA Long Term Expert on Transfer Pricing Issues (advanced course) from 11 th to 14 th October The long term expert being dispatched to Malaysian Tax Academy gave lectures on transfer pricing issues for advanced level. The participants were taxation officers of Inland Revenue Board, and the expert provided the knowledge on the practical issues which were cases in developed and developing countries with showing some examples in order to facilitate the participants to deepen their knowledge. Consultations toward Trade Facilitation in Asian Region with Royal Malaysia Customs Department on 18 th October The JICA policy advisor on trade promotion of Royal Malaysian Customs Department participated in a meeting on consultations towards the achievement of the concept of Asia Cargo Highway (ACH) which promotes trade facilitation among Japan and ASEAN countries. The meeting was held by the representatives from Japan Customs, ADB(Asian Development Bank), WCO(World Customs Organization) and Royal Malaysian Customs Department. In the meeting, they confirmed and shared information on the policie frameworks as well as processes to achieve the ACH such as development of AEO(Authorized Economic Operator) Program and the Mutual Recognition Agreement and establishment of National Single Window. Social Welfare Environment 3rd Dispatch of Short Term Experts to EiMAS for Enhancement of Training Capacity of EIMAS on Environmental Management from 9 th to 19 th October Following the first and second dispatch in March & June 2011, JICA continued to dispatch 2 environmental management experts to EiMAS from
9 th to 19 th October 2011. The experts conducted lectures focusing on air pollution related topics including air pollution control laws & regulations in Japan, total air emission control in several heavy industries, flue gas desulfurization process, denitrification process etc. International Training Workshop in UTM under Project for Development of Low Carbon Society Scenarios for Asian Regions from 31 st October to 1 st November In continuation of the Symposium on Low Carbon Asia Research Projects in July 2011, UTM, in collaboration with the Malaysian & Japanese counterparts, organized an international workshop & training workshop on low carbon cities in Asia at its Skudai campus in Johor Bahru on Oct 31 st & Nov 1 st respectively. Besides the related ministries & agencies, international guests & speakers from Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, Combodia, Vietnam etc., were also invited & participated in the said workshop. South-South Cooperation Third Country Training Program (TCTP) for African Countries-Enhancement of Productivity & Competitiveness for Trade Promotion through TQM & KAIZEN from 3 rd to 21 st October Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC),MOFA Malaysia and JICA jointly organized a TCTP for African Countries - Enhancement of Productivity & Competitiveness for Trade Promotion through TQM & KAIZEN as a TICAD IV Follow Up activity from 3 rd to 21 st October.. 14 people attended the course from 7 African countries. (Namely, Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia). During the 3week Training course, the participants learned the basics of KAIZEN &Total Quality Management (TQM), and visited various related Ministries/Agencies, and formulated the Action Plans for their countries. SME Incubation Technology & Management for African Countries from 3 rd to 21 st October TCTP on Policy Framework on SMEs for African countries has been conducted from 2009 to 2011. In this 2nd year, 20 participants from 4 African countries, namely Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda and Zambia attended the course which focuses on SMEs incubation management from 3 rd to 21 st October 2011. The course offered participants with opportunities to learn how the incubation of SME is managed in Malaysia. During the 3- weeks Training course, the participants learned the basics of Policy Framework on SMEs, and visited various related Ministries/Agencies and incubatees both in Peninsular Malaysia and State of Saba in Borneo Island, and presented the Action Plans for their countries. TCTP on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management from 4 th to 27 th October
The Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (ITBC-UMS), as an implementing agency of the Programme, received 21 participants from 8 countries namely Thailand, Brunei, Myanmar, India, Indonesia, Uganda, Mali and Tanzania to Sabah from 4 th to 27 th October. After coming back to their home countries, participants are expected to use the experience and skills they acquired, and implement their action plans that they elaborated though the training programme. Diagnosis of Avian Influenza at Source in Southeast Asia Region Training Programme from 3 rd to 22 nd October This program was held from 3 rd to 22 nd October, 2011 in collaboration with Department of Veterinary Services (DVS), Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry, Malaysia and JICA. A total of 15 participants from ASEAN Countries, China and Mongolia participated in this training course which was mainly held at Veterinary Research Institute (VRI) located in Ipoh, Perak. The training focused on building expertise and increasing capacity of handling pandemic outbreak among the member countries.. Volunteers Arrival of New JICA Volunteers on 3 rd October Two JOCVs in the field of social welfare (short-term) and youth activity, and three Senior Volunteers in the field of special education, employment promotion and wastewater management, were dispatched to Malaysia on the 3 rd of October. They started their activities in their assignment places after two weeks orientation at JICA office. JICA Partnership Program (JPP) Training Programme for the Promotion of Community-based Management of Coastal Fisheries in Malaysia from 16 th to 28 th October Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture, has supported Hang Tuah Jaya Municipal Council in Melaka for developing solid waste management system in order to reduce solid waste and to improve public cleanliness in Hang Tuah Jaya. In this regard, five staffs from Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation and Hang Tuah Jaya
Municipal Council participated in the training in Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka from 16 th to 28 th October. They visited Kitakyushu-ECOTOWN, Kitakyushu city Environmental Preservation Association, J-pec and Incineration factory to learn their know-hows. Workshop on Water Supply Management from 17 th to 19 th October The captioned workshop was held from 17 th to 19 th October by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. In the workshop, three experts conducted lectures mainly on the know-how to water supply facility management. They highlighted the necessity of the provision on high quality water supply which deserves fee collection.. Others Soft-Launching of Malayan Tiger Train (JR-KTMB Blue Train Project) on 25 th October A soft-launching ceremony of Malayan Tiger Train was held at Wakaf Baharu Station in Kelantan on 25 th October 2011. The ceremony was held to open the train to the media groups as well as tourism related organizations to promote the new service of Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) which will be opened to the public probably in January 2012. Invited guests had the opportunity to get on board from Wakaf Baharu Station to Johor Bahru Sentral Station along the east-coast line of KTMB. It was about730km journey that took about 14 hours.. These 14 used coaches were originally known as Blue Train in Japan and were donated to KTMB from JR Kyushu and JR West based on a request by the Government of Malaysia. JICA organized a training program in Japan for KTMB staff and dispatched Japanese expert to Malaysia to support this project. Main activities in November <South-South Cooperation> TCTP for African Countries Compliance and Enforcement Activities from 31 st October-11 th November TCTP on SME Development of Trade Promotion for Africa from 14 th -25 th November Economic Development and Project Management for Central Asian Countries 14 th -25 th November <Volunteers> Annual Volunteers Meeting from 21 st to 22 nd November Social Welfare Volunteers Group Meeting from 23 rd to 24 th November
<JICA Partnership Programme> 2nd Dispatch of Experts on the Promotion of Community-based Management of Coastal Fisheries in Malaysia from 27 th November to 3 rd December Japan International Cooperation Agency Suite 29.03, Level 29, Menara Citibank, 165, Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur Tel :( 60-3)21668900 Fax :( 60-3)21665900 Executive Editor: Mr Tsutomu Nagae (Chief Representative) Editor: Ms Shino Kubo