JAKARTA -- Foxconn's push for cheap land is not making friends in the local government here, and is hindering the EMS giant's ability to open a manufacturing center, according to reports.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting top Malaysian officials are questioning Foxconn's expectations. "They’re used to doing business in China,” where they can get land for free," said Finance Minister Chatib Basri, the Journal reported. “Here you cannot do it. You need to buy it” because the state doesn’t own the land the way it does in China, he said.
Foxconn has been reported to be considering a multibillion dollar investment in the nation. In return, it seeks numerous incentives ranging from cheap (or free) land and import protections on cellphones, as well as tax holidays.
In the interview Basri dismissed the notion, saying "You cannot come up with a policy only for one company.”