Malaysian chemical products industry has become the second largest contributor to manufactured exports behind the electrical and electronics sector, an official said in Kuala Lumpur Wednesday.

The contribution from the country's chemical products amounted to 25 billion ringgit (6.57 billion US dollars) last year, Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Ahmad Husni Hanazlah said in his keynote address at the opening of ChemCon Asia 2005, a regional conference on chemical control legislation and trade aspects here.

China is the largest export destination for Malaysian chemical products, followed by Japan, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia.

Ahmad Husni said over 100 chemical companies were currently in operation in the country with majority of them producing fertilizers and pesticides, followed by those producing paint and paint products, cosmetics and toiletries preparations, and inorganic chemicals.

He added that 27 chemical projects with an investment of 471.9 million ringgit (124.18 million US dollars) were approved last year compared with 24 projects involving 674.5 million ringgit (177.5 million US dollars) in 2003. Regarding the conference, Ahmad Husni said the aim of ChemCon Asia was to disseminate information on existing and emerging chemical legislations which could benefit government authorities and international organizations in Asia.The three-day conference, hosted by the Chemical Industries Council of Malaysia (CICM), has attracted more than 200 participants from over 30 countries and regions. Malaysia's chemical and chemical products industry is largely dominated by small and medium scale enterprises.

Source: Xinhua