Khazanah Nasional Berhad managing director Azman Mokhtar has urged the government to look into investing in sectors with potential to create future job opportunities as a way to overcome current economic instabilities affecting the nation.

In the context of Khazanah, he said the move has been part of the company's success formula in going through the 10-year government-linked corporations transformation programme.

"I think if we (Khazanah) look at whatever work we are doing, we must make sure we are doing the right things and doing it in the right way.

"This includes investing in the right sectors, for example in Iskandar Malaysia in Johor," Azman told reporters after delivering his keynote address at the Malaysian Institute of Chartered Professional Accountants 56th commemorative lecture in Kuala Lumpur today.

Azman said Khazanah's investments in Iskandar Malaysia did not only focus on making money, which is an important aspect of all businesses, but also on creating new jobs.

"You have to do the right things the right way or else you will fail. That is part of your execution skills.

"At the same time, you also need the right governance (to execute a project)," he said.

Among others, Azman said examples of Khazanah's investment projects included theme parks (Legoland in Johor) and Think City, a Penang-based organisation set up to spearhead creation of sustainable cities.

In September, it was reported that Iskandar Malaysia will accelerate an investment of RM90 million to attract a targeted RM2.2 billion in additional foreign investment by 2020 in the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector.

These investments, part of its RM6.77 billion committed to domestic investments, are expected to create 4,000 jobs.

Premature for TPPA comment

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had yesterday cited the ongoing MRT expansion project as example of a large-scale federal investment that would not only help resolve traffic congestion but also provide jobs for young local engineers.

Asked on the impact the recently-concluded Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) negotiations will have on Khazanah, Azman said it was still too premature for him to comment.

"We are still studying the impact of the TPPA.

"The Khazanah Research Institute will be organising a public talk on 'Why trade matters' as one way to help understand this complex issue," he said.

Related reports

Gov’t stubbed out TPPA tobacco control carve-out: NGO

Mustapa: TPPA cost-benefit report ready in 10 days

TPPA - did minister mislead public on medicine costs?