Lesley Moore, Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia to Open Up to Knowledge Workers

Malaysia will allow the unrestricted import of knowledge workers for the next ten years and complete foreign ownership of companies that locate operations within the country's proposed Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC).

"Knowledge workers can come and go freely. Ownership of companies in the MSC will not be subject to local participation unless they want to," said Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

He said the incentives were among several commitments to be incorporated into a "Multimedia Bill of Guarantees" specifically tailored for the success of enterprises investing in the MSC. The bill is expected to be tabled in Parliament by the end of the year.

Dr Mahathir was speaking at the Multimedia Asia '96 conference in Kuala Lumpur during which he outlined a blueprint for the ambitious MSC project. The MSC is a 15km by 50 km area stretching between the capital city of Kuala Lumpur and the new international airport currently under construction at Sepang in the south.

---

News from Asia-Pacific