President Maithripala Sirisena invited leading Malaysian entrepreneurs to explore possibilities of expanding investment and trade and look for the potential of new trade opportunities in Sri Lanka.

He stated this when the CEO of Malaysia’s petrochemical giant, Petronas, Datuk Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin called on him with a delegation at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday (26).

The CEO of Petronas, the only Malaysian company to be listed in the Fortune 500, said that his company has business interests and joint projects in more than 30 countries, said that he would explore the possibility of long-term business with Sri Lanka.

He said, although there were several instances of supply of petroleum products to Sri Lanka by the Petronas, the company is yet to enter into a long-term arrangement.

President Sirisena said that the current political stability and peaceful atmosphere is conducive for foreign investments and said the government would welcome established companies like Petronas to invest in Sri Lanka.

Datuk Wan Ariffin said that he was highly impressed with what Sri Lanka could offer for business and thanked the President for giving him an opportunity to meet him and discuss these issues. The delegation will also meet Ministers of Petroleum and Power and Energy.