The third quarter of 2006 has been most eventful. MASSA continued with its ongoing Cross Border Investment (CBI) seminar series covering another four countries and we have a couple more in store before the end of the year. These events have been well attended by members and non-members alike and have proven to be a good introductory point of exploration, not to mention the opportunity for members to network with each other and to catch up on our respective cross-border happenings.

This quarter also seemed to be the favourite for Bangladesh visitors! MASSA organised a successful mission jointly with MIDA to Dhaka and Chittagong in June 2006. This led to reciprocal visits by delegates from the Bangladesh-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BMCCI), Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) and a host of post visit follow-up meetings. The bilateral business ties have been positively strengthened and we urge members to look at the emerging potential for business linkages with this country of 145 million inhabitants.

MASSA and French CCE organised a luncheon talk featuring the Safic Alcan group – a successful French commodity trading group which has been in the Asia Pacific region and in Malaysia for more than 30 years. The enlightening talk by Mr Nicolas Lebard certainly was an eye opener into the world of commodity trading. Encouraged by this success, we will endeavour to bring members more of such events.

MASSA also organised visits to Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ), Westports Malaysia, MASKargo and LSG Sky Chefs Brahim Sdn Bhd. The response to the visit was overwhelming and we apologise for having had to decline late registrants. MASSA, in keeping with our objective to keep our members on the cutting edge of emerging developments, will endeavour to present you with more opportunities to participate in these visits. So, look out for our weekly MASSA news via your email or your faxes!

The proposed mission to Timor Leste remains on hold, unfortunately. Nevertheless, MASSA together with MATRADE is organising a marketing mission to Sudan, Kenya and Tanzania from 15 – 25 November 2006. Come join us on this mission and explore the potential for your products and services in this region.

We look forward to members’ continuing active participation in our activities and we also welcome your suggestions to make the Association your preferred networking base.

Hamidah Tun Ghafar
Editor

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

Visit of St Gallen University & Singapore Management University Students to Bank Negara Malaysia,12 October 2006

HIgh Level Workshop for Officials of SME Development Institutions of African Countries, 5 – 21 November 2006

High Level Workshop for Officials of SME Development Institutions of African Countries organized by MIDA and co-sponsored by EPU, UNDP, JICA and TECHNONET at Eastin Hotel, Petaling Jaya.

A panel discussion on Programmes and Initiatives of the Industry Association in Enhancing the Development of SMEs was held on 10 November, 2006. YBhg Tan Sri Dato’ Soong Siew Hoong, EXCO member of MASSA together with Ms Ng Su Fun, Executive Secretary of MASSA participated at this Panel Discussion.

Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP) by MATRADE, 20 – 26 November 2006

MATRADE organized a Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP) for 30 participants of the Trade Promotion Agencies from the OIC countries to enhance knowledge on trade and development between Malaysia and OIC members countries.

On 23 November, 2006, a panel discussion on “Trade & Promotion: Public Sector Collaboration for Effective Export Promotion” was held at Seri Pacific Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. Ms Ng Su Fun, Executive Secretary of MASSA participated at this panel discussion together with representatives from Chinese Chamber and Malay Chamber.

Visit by Madhya Pradesh Delegation, 13 December 2006

MASSA and the High Commission of India in Malaysia, collaborated with the Government of Madhya Pradesh & the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) organized a business meeting and networking luncheon at Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

The Madhya Pradesh 13 member delegation was led by Hon. Chief Minister H.E. Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Business opportunities were introduced to the 60 Malaysian participants in the following projects:-

The event resulted in the signing of a MOU between the Madhya Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation Limited and MASSA with the view to establishing mutual facilitating networks for inbound and outbound investments for industry, business and other enterprises between the 2 countries.

Website: www.mpgovt.nic.in

MASSA Luncheon Talk With Thales Group, 19 December 2006

MASSA in association with the French “Conseillers du Commerce Exterieur de la France” (CCE) group in Malaysia, organized a luncheon talk by Mr Jean Baptiste Ollivier, Managing Director & Corporate Country Director for Malaysia and Brunei for Thales International at Crowne Plaza Mutiara Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

Incorporated in France, Thales International is one of the world’s leaders in defence and aerospace electronics with 65,000 employees worldwide and has a presence in nearly 50 countries and industrial operations in 30 countries.

In Malaysia, Thales has a joint venture with Sapura, namely Sapura Thales Electronics Sdn Bhd (STE). STE was the first Malaysian company to fully develop defence electronics equipment locally that qualifies to international military specifications for local and export markets. Following the success of this initiative, the activities of STE was enlarged to all aspects of Defence Communications Systems.

Many leaders of South nations have lamented over the lack or little flow of information between developing countries which put these nations at the mercy of the information ‘super highways’ from the North to the South. When this deficiency was discussed by the leaders at the Langkawi International Dialogue in 1999, Malaysia took up the proposal to see if it could work out a mechanism in which information can flow better between the South nations.

Hence, the South-South Information Gateway (SSIG) was conceived and implemented as an Internet portal (www.ssig.gov.my) for South countries to tell the world about their nations, peoples, cultures, economies and aspirations.

The SSIG is intended as an exchange centre and central depository for information, news and broadcast materials – like documentaries, films, radio and TV programmes – from the South fraternity. These materials are produced by the South nations and offer their own unique perspectives on issues and events in line with the SSIG’s main aim of promoting the best interest of the South countries.

The centre would also be a catalyst to enhance the sharing of experiences, knowledge, expertise and skills, the basis of a smart partnership in facing the increasing challenges of globalisation.

It is hoped that the SSIG would be a major forum for South countries to tell the whole world what is happening within their own national boundaries through their own eyes and perspectives, thus projecting a more accurate and balanced view vis-ˆ-vis the powerful and pervasive transnational media.

We welcome all public broadcasting organisations or public agencies in the South fraternity to join us in this endeavor to promote a greater and smoother flow of information between nations.

A delegation from Malawi undertook a study tour to Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok from 14 to 26 October 2006. The 13-member delegation comprising ministerial, governmental and private sector members was led by the Malawi Minister of Industry, Trade and Private Sector Development.

The focus of the study tour was on private sector development with the following objectives:
• To expose the delegation to the best practices in appropriate and practical private sector reforms and policies of Malaysia and Thailand
• To meet and interact with counterpart institutions involved in SME development and to learn about public-private partnerships, financing channels for SMEs and investment climate reforms
• To gain a better insight of successful programmes and initiatives by visiting the respective agencies and institutions
The delegation also took the opportunity to present the business opportunities available in Malawi to the business communities in Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok – in sectors such as tourism, mining, agri-business, infrastructure development, etc.

Malawi is located in southeastern Africa. It has Zambia to the north-west, Tanzania to the north, and Mozambique surrounding it on the east, south, and west. It has the Great Rift Valley running through the country from north to south. In this deep trough lies Lake Malawi (also called Lake Nyasa), the third-largest lake in Africa, which makes up about 20% of Malawi’s total area. The Shire River flows from the south end of the lake and joins the Zambezi River 400km farther south in Mozambique.

Malawi is strategically located for access to regional markets/free trade area and duty free areas such as:
• COMESA – comprising 19 countries with over 380 million population
• SADC – comprising 13 countries with over 200 million population
Bilateral trade agreements have also been signed between Malawi and Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa. In addition, Malawi has strategic access to the USA market through AGOA and the European market through the COTONOU and EU-ACP agreements. Although landlocked, Malawi is easily accessible through road networks to regional markets as well as flight connections from regional hubs in Nairobi and South Africa.