The Small and Medium Enterprises Association (SAMENTA) today kicked-off a series of international business matching programmes to widen the scope of business opportunities for Malaysian SMEs. The first virtual trade mission, the 2021 Anyang Online Export Business Meeting, is being held over two days from 7 to 8 July with Anyang City of South Korea.
The virtual trade mission is a follow through after Malaysian Minister of International Trade and Industry, Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali’s, visit to Seoul in April this year and subsequent announcement that South Korea and Malaysia had agreed to expand economic ties.
In his welcome remarks during the launch of the 2021 Anyang Online Export Business Meeting, SAMENTA National President, Well Kam Lian Hooi expressed hope that Malaysian SMEs would leverage on this opportunity to expand their business offerings within and beyond Malaysia.
“We know that the world is, and forever will be, changed. It is no longer just about business. In the new normal, we as SMEs need to look after the safety and security of our people, the sustainability of our trade and the survival of our business, all at the same time. We need to reset the balance, optimise results, integrate resources and collaborate with good partners for win-win outcomes,” said Kam.
During the virtual launch event, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was inked between the Director of Anyang Creative Industry Promotion Institute Korea, Kim Hung-Kyoo, and SAMENTA. Witnessed by the Mayor of Anyang City, Choi Dae-ho, the MoU marks a collaborative partnership between the two organisations to broaden and strengthen business relationships between SMEs in the two nations towards post-pandemic recovery.
Mayor Choi and the Special Chairman of the Democratic Party of Korea for Human Resource Competency Improvement expressed hope that the virtual trade mission would be successful for both Malaysia and Korea. “Anyang City has focussed on maintaining a stable local economy even during the pandemic. We support small to medium-sized businesses and increase their competitiveness by strengthening the entry into global markets. We hope this virtual trade mission will be a good start,” he said.
Kam added that SAMENTA continues to push for business opportunities in the international arena to help local SMEs expand opportunities in international trade. “The 2021 Anyang Online Export Business Meeting is the first in a series of international business initiatives to encourage business owners, entrepreneurs and even investors to explore international business opportunities. We hope these virtual business matching programmes will help speed up business recovery for Malaysian SMEs,” he explained.
