Joint Study Tour to Malaysia Report

Meeting report

Election of the Acting Chairperson
The Committee Secretary welcomed everyone. He explained that the rules of Parliament provided that in the absence of the Chairperson, the Committee must elect an Acting Chairperson for the meeting. He requested Members of the Committee to make their nominations for the Acting Chairperson.

Mr S Tleane (ANC) nominated Mr A Cele (ANC) to be the Acting Chairperson of the Committee.

Ms G Matsimbi (ANC) seconded the move.

In the absence of further nominations the Committee elected Mr Cele to chair proceedings

Report on the Joint Study Tour to Malaysia
The Acting Chairperson said that the Portfolio Committee undertook a study tour with the Select Committee on Appropriations to Malaysia from 14 – 18 August 2017. The purpose of the study tour was to learn from Malaysia, as a country that has long followed and implemented long-term development planning to achieve certain objectives such as economic growth and employment, as well as reducing income inequalities.

The Malaysian economy has been transformed from a commodity-based economy, focusing on rubber and tin, to one of the world's largest producers of electronic and electrical products. Malaysia is now a high middle-income, export-oriented economy and one of the world's leading exporter of palm oil. It is also one of the major oil and gas exporting countries on the Asian region.

The Committee Secretary informed Members that they are dealing with a different report from other reports of the Committee because this was an international report and if they make recommendations they will be making recommendations for another country. Therefore, at the end of the report the Committee will not make recommendations but rather will in the course of its oversight work engage all the stakeholders and role players on the things observed during the study tour as measures and systems of good practice.

The Chairperson took Members through the document page by page.

Mr P Atkinson (DA) made minor spelling and grammatical corrections to the report.

Mr S Tleane (ANC) and the Chairperson made further minor corrections to the report.
Ms Matsimbi moved for the adoption of the report with amendments.

Mr Tleane seconded the move.

The Committee adopted the report with amendments.

The Chairperson thanked Members for their inputs.

The meeting was adjourned.