04/05/2026

BIZ & FINANCE MONDAY | MAY 4, 2026

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Malaysia a key partner, ties on uptrend: EU envoy

RTS Link potential game changer, set to boost Johor’s property market: Expert

Asean and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. Daerr said, on a personal note, that he considers it rewarding and an honour to represent the EU in a country like Malaysia, as it is a bilateral partnership that matters and has significant potential for further development. Asked about the MEUFTA, Daerr said both sides are committed to reaching an ambitious and comprehensive agreement, and that good progress has been made.

o Euopean Union one of the biggest investors, has created more than 150,000 jobs in the country over the last two decades

Ű BY HAYATUN RAZAK sunbiz@thesundaily.com

KUALA LUMPUR: The Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link (RTS Link) is set to boost Johor’s property market by making cross-border living more practical, said Rahim & Co Chestertons director Siva Shanker ( pic ). He described the RTS

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is a key partner to the European Union (EU), with relations on an upward trajectory, driven by ongoing negotiations on the Malaysia-EU Free Trade Agreement (MEUFTA), said EU Ambassador to Malaysia Rafael Daerr ( pic ). He said the EU and Malaysia are like minded in many ways, including as vibrant democracies and trade-oriented market economies that strongly rely on and support international law and a rules-based multilateral framework. “Given broader geopolitical and geoeconomic developments and the resulting shocks, it is ever more important to strengthen resilience, in particular by diversifying supply chains and strengthening those trade partnerships that are both sustainable and mutually beneficial,” he told Bernama in an interview held in conjunction with the upcoming Europe Day celebrations on May 9. Daerr said the EU, as the world’s largest single market representing roughly 16% of the world economy, with nearly 450 million consumers and high purchasing power, is now Malaysia’s fourth-largest trading partner and, cumulatively and historically, one of the biggest investors in the country. He added that the EU has created over Dunlop has maintained a long-standing presence in Malaysia dating back to the 1960s, forming part of the brand’s continued relevance across generations of motorists. The current initiative builds on this heritage while introducing a more globally aligned product and market strategy supported by Toyotsu Binter’s regional experience across Asean markets. This direction is strengthened by Toyotsu Binter’s alignment with the wider network of Toyota Tsusho Corporation and close collaboration with principal Sumitomo Rubber Industries, reinforcing Dunlop’s role in supporting evolving mobility trends in Malaysia and across Southeast Asia. Dunlop said in a statement that as part of the showcase, it has introduced the Blue Response TG, a passenger car tyre designed to deliver improved ride comfort and handling stability while optimising rolling resistance and cabin quietness, performance charac teristics increasingly relevant for electrified vehicles. Toyotsu Binter Malaysia managing director Marcus Lim said the transition marks an important step in strengthening Dunlop’s presence locally and reflects a renewed long term commitment to the Malaysian market. “This marks the beginning of a new chapter for Dunlop in Malaysia. Our focus is

150,000 jobs in Malaysia in the last two decades alone. “Our economies are strongly interconnected and, judging by statistics and the positive trade balance, the potential for increase is comparatively higher with the EU than with

Link as a potential “game changer”, although its impact will depend on affordability and convenience. “Everything depends on how much charge to take the train across and come back. If it’s too expensive, I will still ride my motorbike. But if it is cheap and reasonable, I will take the train back and forth,” he told SunBiz in an interview. Siva said if travel time between Johor Bahru and Singapore can be reduced from about three hours to around half an hour, the biggest impact may not come from Malaysians commuting to Singapore, but from Singaporeans choosing to live in Johor while continuing to work in the city-state. “I think we could be looking at a situation where Singaporeans stay in Malaysia, take the train to Singapore to work and come back in the evening,” he added. Siva said such a trend has not taken off previously because cross-border travel between Johor and Singapore has been time-consuming and inconvenient. “But if you have the RTS and I can travel within half an hour across the Causeway where I swipe my passport once and get across, then as a Singaporean I would seriously consider buying a property in Johor Bahru and staying there. “And every morning I just go to Singapore, earn Singapore dollars and come back here. Amazing, right? That, to me, should be our goal.” Siva said the currency advantage also makes Johor attractive, as S$1 million translates to about RM3.1 million, allowing buyers to afford higher-end properties. The RTS Link, expected to begin operations in 2027, will connect Bukit Chagar and Woodlands North, with capacity of up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction. Foreign direct investment continues to support demand in the country, particularly for industrial properties, as investors require factories, warehouses and housing for expatriates, Siva said. “Industrial properties attract some of the strongest foreign interest due to the large investment size involved.” However, foreign participation in Malaysia’s property market remains low at about 3% to 7% of transactions, compared with 20% to 40% in Singapore. Siva said this is due to regulatory constraints such as purchase restrictions, minimum price thresholds and lengthy approval processes. He added that Malaysia is generally seen as a stable market offering steady yields rather than strong capital gains, while recent ringgit movements have had limited impact on buying interest. “If you want stability and decent yield, Malaysia is a good place,” Siva said. According to Malaysian Investment Develop ment Authority, Malaysia recorded a record RM426.7 billion in approved investments in 2025, up 11% year-on-year, with foreign investments accounting for RM207.1 billion, or 48.5% of the total. Johor led all states with a record RM110 billion in approved investments in 2025, driven by the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone.

other countries or regions in the world, alongside the similarly underdeveloped intra-Asean trade,” he said, noting that Malaysia is currently EU’s 20th-biggest goods trading partner. Drawing similarities between Malaysia and EU member states in terms of population and economic size, the ambassador highlighted the importance of working together on the world stage. “Just imagine for a moment that Malaysia were to become an EU Member State: it would be the sixth-biggest in terms of population size and currently the 11th biggest when it comes to the size of its economy. “This being said, for such middle-sized countries, when it comes to facing common challenges on the global stage, there is no viable alternative but to cooperate and join forces to defend our interests,” he said, noting that Malaysia is a very important voice in many fora, including

“We have had three rounds of negotiations in the past 10 months. The fourth round is scheduled to take place from June 8 to 12 in Kuala Lumpur, with the EU team travelling here,” he said, adding that the goal is to conclude negotiations before the 50th anniversary of Asean-EU relations in the final quarter of 2027. “Our intention is to increase overall trade and investment. Seeing the strong political ambition on both sides at the highest level and the dedication of the negotiating teams on both sides, I am very optimistic that we will reach an agreement that will provide substantial benefits for both sides,” Daerr said. In view of the Europe Day reception in Malaysia, to be held on May 11, the ambassador highlighted it as an opportunity to reaffirm and celebrate the importance of cooperation and reliable, predictable partnerships.

Dunlop marks new chapter in Malaysia with Toyotsu Binter PETALING JAYA: Dunlop is entering a new chapter in Malaysia under new stewardship, with Toyotsu Binter Malaysia Sdn Bhd presenting the brand’s renewed direction at Malaysia Autoshow 2026 in Penang following its appointment earlier this year as the exclusive distributor of Dunlop tyres in Malaysia.

Asai (left) and Lim at Malaysia Autoshow 2026, which was held at the Penang

Waterfront Convention Centre from Friday to yesterday.

Toyotsu Binter Malaysia is strengthening Dunlop’s positioning across both the replacement and original equipment (OEM) segments in Malaysia as part of its wider effort to grow the brand’s presence within vehicle manufacturers’ supply programmes. Sumitomo Rubber Industries Asean managing director Takehiko Asai said, “Dunlop’s engineering capabilities continue to support its partnerships with global vehicle manufacturers, and our OEM relationships reflect the confidence automakers place in Dunlop’s performance and reliability. This provides a strong foundation as we continue introducing products designed to meet evolving mobility needs in Malaysia and across Southeast Asia.”

on strengthening supply consistency, expanding dealer reach and ensuring Malaysian motorists benefit from Dunlop’s latest global tyre technologies, including products developed to support the shift towards electrified mobility,” he added. Toyotsu Binter Malaysia is working with a network of more than 190 Dunlop authorised wholesalers, trade partners and direct Dunlop dealers nationwide, primarily across Peninsular Malaysia, with further expansion planned over the next two years to support wider market coverage. The company is also exploring opportunities to introduce specialist Dunlop retail concepts as part of its long-term network development strategy. Alongside its distribution expansion efforts,