マハティール閣下へケダ州におけるPPP可能性調査報告を実施
2016年5月30日、丸の内のパレスホテルで東洋大学幹部（理事長、常務理事、学長、副学長、
報告では、ケダ州の地域開発のポテンシャルを同州の持つ「強み」、「弱み」、「機会」、「脅威」の4点から分析しました（SWOT分析）。その上で、ケダ州の持つ優位性（開発されたインフラや安定政権による穏健ムスリム国家）および脆弱性（国営企業の強い影響力やマーケティング力の不足）を抽出し、与えられた6つの開発分野①ハイテク／先端産業、②農業、③ゴム産業、④ハラール産業、⑤観光/MICE、⑥運輸（新規空港プロジェクトと公共交通）の課題について指摘し、調査の結果それぞれの分野で見いだされた開発の可能性について説明しました。
特に、現在16億人もの人口を抱え、今後もアジア、アフリカを中心に増加が予想される巨大なムスリム人口を背景に、世界に先駆けて制定したハラール・ホスピタリティ基準や、治安のよい穏健なイスラム国家というアドバンテージを生かした「ハラール産業」や「観光/MICE」による地域開発を提案しました。
その上で、ケダ州政府内におけるPPPユニット設置の必要性や、PPPの優先案件リストや実施スケジュール等を策定したPPPアクションプランの作成など、今後ケダ州がPPPによる地域開発を推進する上でとるべき具体的なステップについて提言を行いました。
最後に、将来のケダ州への提言として、労働集約型に頼らない中進国としての新たな経済発展モデルの模索や、経済成長の妨げとなる既存インフラ更新への早期対応、穏健なイスラム国家として巨大なイスラム市場を席巻するポテンシャルなどを述べました。
ケダ州のご出身でもあるマハティール閣下は、終始報告発表を熱心に聞いておられ、所々で大きく頷かれたり、資料を丹念に読んでおられ、報告内容に高い関心を寄せておられました。発表の最後に、調査チームを率いたサム田渕教授より、ケダ州のPPPによる開発への期待と益々の経済発展を祈願するとともに、マハティール閣下へ調査報告書が寄贈されました。
APPPI carried out presentation of the result of PPP Applicability Study on Kedah, Malaysia to Tun. Dr. Mahathir
On May 30, 2016, a luncheon session with Tun. Dr. Mahathir and his wife was hosted by Toyo University. Organized by Prof. Sam Tabuchi, a head of APPPI, using this great opportunity, representatives of the study team provided a presentation on the result of PPP Applicability Study, which was conducted on February 2016. The audience of the presentation included several senior members of Japanese leading companies.
The presentation began with the result of “SWOT” analysis in order to scrutinize the potential of Kedah state in terms of the following 4 aspects, namely, strength, weakness, opportunity and threat. The result of the analysis identified the superiority of the state represented as well-developed economic infrastructures and a reputation as a modest Muslim nation, as well as vulnerability of the state, such as strong influence/presence of state-owned enterprises and lack of marketing strategies. After finding out these traits of the state, the following 6 development issues provided by the state were studied, those are ①Hi-tech industry, ②Agriculture, ③Rubber city, ④Halal industry, ⑤Tourism/MICE and ⑥Transport. Then, the potential of the development for each of the issues was explained in light of the result of the studies.
In particular, the study team highlighted that Halal industry and Tourism/MICE could be a biggest driver for Kedah state as it has a great advantage of having established the world’s first Halal hospitality standard. The study team also stressed Malaysia's growing reputation as a modest and orderly Muslim nation amid the trend that Muslim population, which currently amounts to over 1.6 billion, has been still growing worldwide.
In consideration for these factors, concrete steps to be taken by Kedah state for promotion of the regional development driven by PPP, such as necessity of establishment of PPP unit within the state and preparation of priority list of PPP projects, were pointed out for further promotion of the state’s regional development.
Lastly, a set of suggestions was made by the study team. These suggestions are 1) to establish a new model of economic development not dependent on labour-intensive economic growth model, to 2) redesign measures and policies to promptly respond to the needs of infrastructure development/redevelopment, and 3) to make the most of a potential as a modest Muslim nation to garb an ever-growing Muslim population.
Tun. Dr. Mahathir, who himself is from Kedah state, was all ears to the presentation, nodding his head at some times, and closely looking at the presentation handouts, which all represented his keen interest in the contents of the presentation. At the end of the presentation, Prof. Tabuchi handed the study report to Tun. Dr. Mahathir and wished Kedah state with good luck with its further economic development through PPP.
