LONDON: Malaysia’s seventh annual promotional event, which opens here tomorrow, has a new tagline that showcases not only the country’s gastronomic delights and multicultural fabric but also its strengths.
“Choose Malaysia” promises to be the country’s biggest trade and investment event as both the public and private sectors join forces to woo British businesses and tourists to Malaysia.
The event kicks off with the Malaysia Fest showcase at Trafalgar Square, to be followed by an investment forum that will serve as a platform to link Malaysian companies with industry partners from the United Kingdom.
“It will be our biggest promotion in terms of size and scope,” said International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed in an interview.
It brings together 128 organisations, 243 representatives from various ministries, agencies and corporations, as well as the Malaysian diaspora and students in the UK in a cohesive effort to brand the country internationally.
Malaysian businesses will be able to promote their high-skilled manufacturing, high-value products, construction, business services, education, Islamic finance and tourism to a global audience.
“Our promotion will be comprehensive with focus on trade and investment, tourism, healthcare, portfolio investments and halal market as well details about the health of the economy,” said Mustapa.
The event here will be followed by Shanghai and Sydney editions in November and December, respectively.
For Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida), “Choose Malaysia” will enable Malaysia and the UK to strengthen bilateral investing interests further.
“We will project Malaysia as a strategic partner for UK trade with the vibrant Asean growth region,” said Mida chief executive officer (CEO) Datuk Azman Mahmud on the investment forum, which will be held at Kensington Close Hotel on Monday.
The forum, entitled “Business Opportunities in the Changing Economic Landscape”, will highlight Malaysia as a preferred investment destination.
“UK investors have already discovered commonalities with Malaysia and it is only natural for us to offer the various options in terms of infrastructure,” said Azman.
Growth in the services sector, especially education, will take a big leap as reputable universities such as University of Nottingham, University of Southampton and University of Reading, which have Malaysian campuses, collaborate to export services to neighbouring countries.
For export promotion body Malaysia External Trade Development Corp (Matrade), a business matching session for UK and Malaysian companies called “Source Malaysia” will also be held at the same hotel on Tuesday.
“The business matching is aimed at increasing exports of Malaysian brands to the UK and Europe at large,” said Matrade CEO Datuk Dzulkifli Mahmud.
Last year, Malaysia’s total trade with the UK increased by 9.4 per cent to RM16.45 billion.
Exports expanded by 17.6 per cent to RM9.32 billion while imports were valued at RM7.13 billion, making the UK the 17th largest trading partner for Malaysia.