PARLIAMENT | Malaysia’s position in terms of foreign direct investment and portfolio investment amounted to RM908 billion for the period ended June 2017, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

The Finance Ministry (MOF) said more than half of the investments or RM574 billion comprised foreign direct investment abroad (DIA) by Malaysian companies.

Top investment destinations were Singapore, constituting 16 percent of the amount, Indonesia (nine percent), Canada (seven percent), Australia (five percent), the United Kingdom (five percent), and India (four percent), it said in a written reply to Makin @Markus Mojigoh (BN-Putatan).

The MOF said the foreign DIA was channelled primarily to the financial services sub-sector at 35 percent, mining (19 percent) and telecommunications services (eight percent).

For foreign portfolio investment, it said it was worth RM334 billion at the end of June 2017, of which two-thirds comprised assets held in the form of securities.

Meanwhile, the MOF said 1,043 investigation papers had been opened under the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 by relevant agencies, of them, 145 cases were brought to the court from 2013 until 2016.

"For cases under the jurisdiction of Bank Negara Malaysia, 138 investigative papers had been opened and 44 cases were brought to the court from 2008 until 2016," it said.

- Bernama