Turkish Aerospace Industry’s new office in Malaysia cements stronger ties

It is the company’s 1st engineering and design office in South-East Asia where joint studies in a variety of areas will be conducted

by FAYYADH JAAFAR / pic by MUHD AMIN NAHARUL

THE opening of Turkish Aerospace Industry (TAI) yesterday marks the growing strength of Malaysia-Turkey bilateral ties, especially in the aerospace sector, International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali said.

Mohamed Azmin also said that the talks between Malaysia and Turkey on the expansion of the free trade agreement have made substantial progress.

In addition, the minister said the government will continue to focus on attracting high-quality investments within the aerospace industry, especially in the defence sector.

“The opening of Turkish Aerospace’s first engineering and design office in Malaysia is an opportune moment for us to look at how we can synergise our joint expertise to secure workflow for the benefit of the Turkish and Malaysian aerospace industry,” Mohamed Azmin said in his speech yesterday.

“Turkey has one of the fastest developing defence and aerospace sectors in the world and has achieved many firsts for the Muslim world,” he added.

As of June 2021, a total of 13 manufacturing projects with Turkish participation have been approved, with a total investment of RM510.4 million.

The office will serve as a hub for the development of new generation technologies, particularly in the fields of defence industry and aviation.

In this collaboration, Turkish and Malaysian engineers will work in the new office to carry out joint studies in a variety of areas, which include unmanned aerial vehicles, jet trainers, helicopter projects and modernisation programmes for the global aviation ecosystem, Mohamed Azmin said.

Malaysian Investment Development Authority CEO Datuk Arham Abdul Rahman said Turkish Aerospace’s footprint in Malaysia will enhance Malaysia’s aerospace ecosystem, which has the right value proposition for the company to expand its presence in Asean and beyond, particularly in the manufacturing and high-end services sector.

“The competitive cost of doing business in Malaysia will undoubtedly be beneficial for both parties to raise the nation’s local expertise, as well as certification status,” he said.

“With the engineers we employ, we will strengthen the ties between the two countries and host important studies for Malaysia and Turkey to develop joint projects in the fields of aviation, space and defence,” TAI CEO and president Prof Temel Kotil said.

He said TAI aims to expand its experience and knowledge of the aviation and aerospace industries in Malaysia and the region.

“I hope our newly opened office in Malaysia will be beneficial in improving relations between the two countries, and I would like to thank my friends for their efforts,” he said.

Dr Merve Kavakci, Turkish Ambassador to Malaysia, believes that the strong relationship between the Turkish and Malaysian people will continue to grow and flourish with the establishment of the new office.

“Malaysia is our largest trading and strategic partner in South-East Asia. Just like our country, it is located in a very strategic position. Today’s opening demonstrates that Turkish companies are confident in a strong, stable and prosperous Malaysia,” she said yesterday.

“I hope that the physical presence of TAI, one of the leading companies in our country in aerospace and defence, will be mutually beneficial for relations between our two countries. We are pleased to see that Turkish defence industry companies are engaged in many solid cooperation projects in different parts of the world. In fact, today’s opening is a good example of this,” Dr Kavakci added.