The GCC-Malaysia Trade Investment Forum, which opens in Kuala Lumpur today, will focus on expanding cooperation in key areas such as training and education, property and infrastructure development, agriculture and food security, health care, oil and gas support services, leisure and tourism, Islamic banking, and small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
Malaysian Minister of International Trade and Industry Mustapha Mohamed will open the forum at Hotel Istana in Kuala Lumpur.
Prominent speakers at the opening session include Abdul Rahim Hasan Naqi, secretary-general of the Federation of GCC Chambers, and Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassem Al-Thani chairman of Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The first session, titled “Revisiting the GCC-Malaysia Trade Path — A Business Leader’s Perspective,” will be chaired by Rebecca Fatima Sta Maria, secretary-general of Malaysia’s ministry of international trade and industry in Malaysia.
Pemandu CEO Idris Jala, AmBank Chairman Azman Hashim, Khazanah Nasional Managing Director Azman Mokhtar, Qatar Chamber Director-General Remy Rowhani, and Shah SCOMI Group CEO Hakim Zain will address the session.
There will be a special session on “SME — new economy generator and emerging opportunities” to be chaired by Hafsah Hashim, CEO, SME Corp., Malaysia. Panelists include Yong Poh Kon, president of FMM, Lim Wee Chai, chairman, Top Glove Corporation, and Rafe Haneef, CEO, HSBC Amanah.
Another session will focus on business opportunities in 5 key sectors in Malaysia, including training and education, agriculture and commodities, leisure and tourism and SMEs, organizers said.
The high-impact forum showcases investment opportunities in both Malaysia and GCC states and includes fused business sessions apart from site visits to selected industries within Klang Valley and the signing of bilateral agreements.
The forum provides a critical assessment of current trade and investment climate in Malaysia and encourages multilateral cooperation between international investors and role-players, academic institutions, business practitioners, and policy makers.
The forum offers a platform for initiating relevant opportunities in critical trade and investment related matters, facilitates the development of competitive investment attraction strategies for FDI, and gives a platform for business leaders, policy makers, researchers and academics, from both regions to share ideas, debate and build consensus around trade and investment issues.
Kuala Lumpur forum to spur GCC-Malaysia trade
