Invest in wind energy technology in Sri Lanka, Malaysian companies told

SHAH ALAM, Oct 25 (Bernama) -- Malaysian companies seeking to become globally competitive, should think of investing in the development of wind energy technology in Sri Lanka.

Malaysian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Azmi Zainuddin said the Malaysian companies could seek possible technical tie-ups with local institutions in the country, for technical expertise to harness the alternative energy.

"Malaysian companies should explore this new field. I see the technology coming from Sri Lanka being as good as anywhere in the world," he told Bernama in an interview when met at Ampan, Jaffna, Sri Lanka recently.

EnerFab (Pvt) Limited, Sri Lanka's leading and pioneering biomass-to-energy integrator has said that the country is blessed with some of the highest world ranking wind sites, which have a potential of 25,000 megawatts of wind power to be harvested.

Besides wind technology, Azmi also advised Malaysian companies to invest in the field of telecommunications technology, Islamic banking, the health sector and education.

On education, he said, many private universities in Malaysia have started coming to Sri Lanka to promote their respective institutions.

"We are looking forward to many Sri Lankans studying in Malaysia, taking into account the similar culture, weather and environment," he added.

There are at present 1,700 Sri Lankan students in Malaysia.

Azmi said that Sri Lanka recorded one of the highest tourist arrivals from Malaysia due to the high number of flights between both countries.

He said Malaysia's total trade with Sri Lanka amounted to US$536 million (about RM1.661 billion) last year. Exports to Sri Lanka amounted to US$460 million (about RM1.426 billion) while imports from the country was at US$76 million (about RM235.6 million).

Malaysia's total investment in Sri Lanka last year was US$72 million (about RM223.2 million).

Meanwhile, Azmi who took up his posting only recently, said Malaysian companies should not feel insecure investing in Sri Lanka, as the civil war, which lasted almost 26 years, has ended.

He said Malaysian companies can invest to help reconstruct bridges, roads and railways in Sri Lanka's war-ravaged north.

He also hailed the move by volunteer relief organisation, Mercy Malaysia, to reconstruct a new divisional hospital at Ampan, Jaffna, which was previously damaged by the tsunami in 2004 and the civil war.

The hospital was reconstructed at a cost of US$259,707 (about RM817,947) using the Disaster Fund under the Malaysian Foreign Ministry.

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