Present investment policies will be continued to attract investments in the industry, particularly in the synthetic-based textiles sub-sector. Products and services which will be promoted include:

• industrial and home textiles, including industrial webbings, geo-textiles, non-woven fabrics of various applications, laces, car seats and upholstery fabrics;
• functional fabrics with special features, such as anti-bacteria, fire resistance, water proof, wrinkle-free and ultraviolet protection;
• higher value fabrics and apparel, including batik and songket.
• key support facilities and services include:
  • design houses and fashion centres;
  • specialized dyeing and finishing facilities;
  • centralized waste treatment plants;
  • exhibition services for textiles and apparel; and
  • distribution centres.

To promote the export of textiles and apparel, the industry will be encouraged to expand existing markets and explore new markets, such as Japan, the USA, Canada, the EU, West Asia, Africa and Latin America. Measures in sustaining present market shares and promoting exports in new markets include:

• encouraging greater participation in international exhibitions and establishing a dedicated textiles and apparel portal to facilitate trading;
• improving market presence of the industry through the setting-up of sales and distribution offices overseas to enhance the response by manufacturers with direct sourcing;
• promoting in-coming buying missions for fabrics and apparel at international apparel and trade fairs in Malaysia;
• promoting brands through collaboration with international fashion houses;
• linking with major fashion centres and design houses;
• enhancing market access through FTAs;
• enhancing outsourcing of labour-intensive activities; and
• attracting buying houses to locate in Malaysia.

The Malaysian textiles and apparel industry will be encourages to undertake measures to enable it to benefit from ASEAN’s efforts in integrating the industry regionally through:

• outward investments (including relocation of high cost operations to lower cost producing countries);
• regional sourcing of parts and components, and support services;
• expediting the implementation of bilateral and regional cooperation programmes, such as introducing ‘green lane’ facility, reducing non-tariff barriers and harmonizing customs procedures for textiles and apparel; and
• exporting support services, such as printing, dyeing and finishing.

Measures to enhance domestic capabilities and facilitate the utilization of technologies include:

• providing assistance to encourage industrial adjustment and consolidation through mergers and acquisitions (M&As), and restructuring of operations;
• encouraging the utilization of nanotechnology and biological processes for dyeing, printing and finishing; and
• promoting the application of advance systems in technology, such as enterprise resource planning, CAD, CAM and CAE.

Focus will be given to enhance the skills in designing, production and marketing. Measures include:

• providing training programme through internship and apprenticeship scheme, including facilitating industry attachment of graduates specializing in textiles and apparel designs;
• encouraging collaboration between local and foreign colleges and universities in providing twinning diploma or degree programmes in textiles science and technology; and
• promoting on-the-job training and industrial practical training.

Measures in strengthening the institutional support for the industry include:

• upgrading the existing textiles and apparel production area into a specialised and integrated zone, in collaboration with the State Government. The identified zone will be strengthened with the development of facilities, such as:
  • centralized waste treatment plants;
  • ‘green lane’ facility;
  • utilization of Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) as load and distribution centre, and for exports; and
  • warehouse and distribution centre; and
• providing assistant to the Malaysian Textiles and Apparel Centre, through the allocation of RM2 million under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (RMK-9), to upgrade the existing facilities and expand the skilled training courses of the centre.