Malaysia-India CEO Forum meet aims to boost SME cooperation

Small and medium enterprises' (SMEs) inclusion in trade and investment missions led by the International Trade and Industry Ministry is a good move in making them visible to "what's happening in the global front."

 

"A lot of times people don't recognise SMEs' capabilities. Perception has always been that SME products are of low quality and are inconsistent. We want to change that perception," SME Corp chief executive officer Datuk Hafsah Hashim said.

 

Of the total business establishments in Malaysia, 98.5 per cent are SMEs, she said.

 

"It's very often that only the big companies that would participate in such missions, but the ones that actually need the doors to be opened to them are the SMEs," she told reporters after a networking session between Indian businesses and Malaysian SMEs.

The mission is headed by International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.

 

Hafsah said SME Corp would continue to use the "model of screening" SMEs that want to participate in such missions to ensure quality of firms that showcased to the world.

 

"One of the agenda of the delegation is to look at collaborations in the knowledge know-how as well as look into the possibility of working with Indian partners to assess the market," KAT Technologies Sdn Bhd executive chairman, Datuk Khairol Anuar Tawi, said.

KAT is one of the largest distributors of mobile pre-paid top ups and starter packs. It distributes top ups and starter packs worth RM65 million a month.

"India is a large market for telecommunications. If there is an opportunity to expand here, we will, or if there is a technology that Indian companies have and can enhance our operations back home, that would also benefit us," he said.

 

It is understood the Indian government is further liberalising the Indian Railways, hence providing opportunities for railway sectors’ parts and components suppliers to participate. Green technology is another area that India is focusing on in which Malaysian firms can take part.

 

The mission is organised in conjunction with the Confederation of India Industries (CII) 19th Partnership Summit and the 6th Malaysia-India CEO Forum (MICEOF).

Hafsah also proposed areas of cooperation between India and Malaysia which would bring mutual benefit to both the countries, in particular capacity-building programmes, joint ventures and partnerships as well as business linkages between SMEs of both countries.