KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) has urged small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to expand into the international market through export activities and international trade agreements signed by Malaysia.
Transformation and digital trade division senior director Amran Yem said competition among local players is stiff in the Malaysian market given its relatively small size compared to the overseas market.
“If SMEs and local businesses were to enter the international market, they could work with each other to meet international companies’ demand,” he told Bernama Radio in its Temubual Radio segment today.
Amran also said that Matrade, as a national trade promotion agency, will be organising its signature programme known as the National Export Day via digital platform this year.
The e-National Export Day (eNED@2021), themed “Reignite Your Exports”, will be held from July 13 to 15 to address the needs required for Malaysian companies to manoeuvre through the challenging pandemic period to revitalise their export business.
The three-day virtual event will be officiated by Senior Minister cum International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, who will deliver a keynote address on “Reinventing Business in the Pandemic and Beyond”.
Meanwhile, Amran stressed that SMEs and local companies should take advantage of sustainability, digitalisation and free trade agreements such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to enter international markets.
He lamented that Malaysian companies have not taken full advantage of the international trade agreements the country has signed such as the RCEP.
“The exporting community is among those hit by Covid-19 since 2020, so we will share information with SMEs on e-commerce as well as organise talks given by economists and experts during National Export Day programme,” added Amran. – Bernama
