The 2007 Budget unveiled by YAB Prime Minister recently centred on 4 broad strategies, namely, implementing proactive Government policies, providing a business friendly environment, developing human capital and enhancing quality of life.

The aforesaid strategies are focused particularly on encouraging the private sector to play a leading role in driving the economic development of the country to a new level. This is a crucial step to move our economy up the value chain and to become globally competitive.

Growth for 2006 to date has been encouragingly broad based, led by services, manufacturing and the agriculture sectors. With continuing strong domestic demand and expanding trade-related activities and barring external shocks, real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for 2006 is expected to be 5.8%, a commendable growth rate indeed.

Mindful of this economic outlook, I urge MASSA members to remain focused on mastering the fundamentals of business, benchmarking best business practices, continuously innovating and adopting a culture of success. These factors are important as we compete for business in a world with less and less barriers. Towards this end, MASSA’s activities are geared towards identifying realistic markets in some of the developing countries for your subsequent assessment. The on-going collaborations with the Cross Border Investment Division of MIDA and our partnership with MATRADE and the Investment Promotion Agencies of some of the promising developing countries are aimed at assisting members to enlarge their market share in the global scene.

Malaysia is blessed with natural and strategic advantages and the private sector must leverage on these attributes and form strategic partnerships with other developing economies to expand the market share for our goods and services and to ensure continuing growth. Our Government has put in place the vision, framework and the economic policies. Let us, the private sector, create the impetus for continued growth and prosperity for Malaysia.

TAN SRI DATO’ AZMAN HASHIM
President