Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Mukhriz Mahathir said foreign direct investment (FDI) into Malaysia's manufacturing sector showed an encouraging sign of foreign investors' confidence.

He told Dewan Rakyat today that in the Jan-July period, the country received FDIs totalling RM9.6 billion and they involved 230 approved manufacturing projects.

"They (foreign investors) still view Malaysia as an attractive investment destination and meets their investment aspirations," he said in reply to Muhammad Leo Michael Toyad (BN-Mukah) during question time.

Mukhriz said among sectors that drew investments from overseas were electrical and electronics, mineral and non-metal, food manufacturing, metal fabrication, measurement and scientific tool, chemical and non-chemical and basic metal.

He said that last year's FDI was RM22.9 billion, involving 390 manufacturing projects.

Recent FDI data clearly showed that foreign investors still had confidence in Malaysia's manufacturing sector despite whatever domestic issues that had arisen, he said.

He said the government's effort to bring about economic transformation was among factors that kept Malaysia as an attractive investment destination whilst  world markets bore the brunt of the global financial crisis.

- Bernama