NEWS: Ministry to set up portal to link with Malaysian businesses overseas

WASHINGTON: The International Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti) plans to set up an Internet portal to connect Malaysia with the Malaysian business community and professionals overseas.

Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said the portal would be useful as a place for discussion, to disseminate information about new economic policies, and to alert businesses overseas of the opportunities available for trade and investments in Malaysia.

He was speaking in Washington before departing for Malaysia after attending the Asean Economic Ministers’ Roadshow, where he took the opportunity to meet with the Malaysian business community and professionals in Seattle, Chicago, Washington DC and New York.

In a meeting with guests and friends of Mybizcouncil LLC, a private Malaysian-American business networking group here, Mustapa was met with enthusiasm by members of the council who indicated their interests to invest in biotechnology in Malaysia and to lead a trade mission of small- and medium-sized businesses to Malaysia.

He later told Bernama that such business groups could help and complement the Malaysian Government’s efforts to promote trade and investment overseas.

“The Malaysian diaspora are still keen to play an active role in business and investment with Malaysia,” he said. “Their business networking potentials are not fully exploited; there’s a lot of potential in tourism, trade and investment.

“A portal would be helpful for us to share the latest development and to get feedback from Malaysian businesses overseas.”

Malaysian businesses in the United States include restaurants, catering companies, hotels, fashion, consulting and other services. Prominient local corporations such as Telekom Malaysia, Top Glove and Supermax have also set up US operations, hiring both Malaysians and Americans.

Other than students who have decided to look for US jobs and Malaysians married to Americans, there is also a growing number of Malaysian professionals employed by major US companies under the H1B visa programme. — Bernama