Mokhtar
SIBU: Sarawak has great potential to be a major exporter of a wide variety of products and services, which could be exploited with an increasing number of local industrial players’ willingness to venture abroad. Realising this, Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade), would be organising various initiatives in the state to facilitate and provide exposures for the local business community to go global.
(Matrade is a national trade promotion agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry.) Part of the initiatives would be the organising of the Sarawak Exports Day 2018 in collaboration with Malaysia International Trade and eCommerce Ministry (MITEC) and International Trade and Industry Ministry (MITI) here today.
The event is aimed at exposing the local business community, in particular the Small and Medium Entrepreneurs (SMEs) on the huge untapped potential of the global market. Sarawak Matrade director Leany Mokhtar said the Sarawak Exports Day would also serve as a platform for local entrepreneurs to expand the market of their products and services.
“This includes making full use of the various facilities and incentives made available by Matrade for them to venture into the export market such as the Go Export (GoEx) Programme, e-Trade, Market Development Grant (MDG) and Export Services Fund),” she said in a press statement yesterday. According to Leany, to date more than 450 Sarawak-based companies from various sectors including automotive, parts and machinery, palm oil, construction materials, food, agriculture and shipping have been registered with Matrade. She urged more local companies to register with Matrade to enable them to benefit from the facilities and incentives it provided.
Apart from organising promotional events and export-oriented events and export development opportunities, Matrade has a network of 46 trade offices worldwide. Leany said Sarawak Matrade was committed to help develop Sarawak’s export performance as outlined by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg. “Export is one of the key instruments that contribute to the strengthening of the state’s economy. We are committed to helping the state achieve its five per cent growth target next year,” she said.
