US ambassador Brian McFeeters said that while Malaysia was great with giving incentives to companies to invest for the first time, it was tougher to get further incentives for the same companies to do more.

He said the reinvestment incentives, besides tax breaks, could be in the form of immigration allowances for skilled engineering expertise from the US to Malaysia.

“A general recognition from the Malaysian government that reinvestment is as important as investments is needed.

“Government bodies such as MIDA (Malaysian Investment Development Authority) can provide more emphasis on this,” he said in a press conference concluding his two-day visit to Penang.

McFeeters said American companies were generally pleased with the speed of doing business in Malaysia, with most taking a year to set up factories.

He said these companies hired locals and sent their workers to the US for training, adding value to their careers as a whole.

McFeeters said the industry leaders had also called for “consistency in transparency and predictability” in matters related to the law.

Separately, he said US commerce secretary Gina Raimondo would visit Malaysia on Nov 18.

“This visit is a positive sign of how much America valued Malaysia as a trading partner.

“The US government is committed to supporting supply chain resiliency in Penang, building stronger business ties with the state, and strengthening overall US-Malaysia trade relationships,” he said.

McFeeters had earlier met Penang governor Ahmad Fuzi Razak and chief minister Chow Kon Yeow.