Three-day exhibition to host more than 200 companies from the Malaysian services sector.

The Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), the external trade promotion arm of Malaysia’s Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), will organise the inaugural Malaysian Services Exhibition (MSE), an event dedicated to showcasing the capabilities and skill sets of Malaysia’s vast services sector, at Expo Centre Sharjah from January 13 -15, 2008.

An agreement to this effect was signed on Wednesday, July 25, 2007, at Expo Centre Sharjah, between Malaysia’s Trade Commissioner in UAE Mr. Noraslan HADI and Expo Centre Sharjah’s Director General Mr. Saif Al Midfa and Advisor to Chairman and Board of Directors Mr. Fasahat Ali Khan.

MATRADE is the focal point for trade related information for Malaysian exporters and foreign importers. Expo Centre Sharjah, on the other hand, is the exhibitions wing of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and features the Middle East’s most integrated and functional exhibition venue.

The MSE 2008, which will host over 200 Malaysian companies and showcase and brand a diverse range of Malaysian services in the region, is aimed at increasing collaborative possibilities between Malaysian service providers and businessmen in the region, especially in areas such as construction, engineering, healthcare, ICT, oil and gas, education, management services, energy and power generation, financial, logistics and transportation sectors.

‘The staging of the MSE 2008 is in light of the vast opportunities in the services sector available in West Asia, Central Asia and North Africa,” said Mr. Noraslan HADI after signing the agreement.

‘This exhibition will represent MATRADE’s initiative to further promote Malaysia’s services sector in this strategic and rapidly expanding geographic area. The guiding principal behind this services exhibition being organised by MATRADE is to showcase and promote the Malaysian services sector in West Asia and surrounding regions. It is also targeted to further enhance the visibility of Malaysian companies’ services capabilities through the creation of brand awareness and showcasing of Malaysian companies’ achievements in the international arena,’ he added.

Mr. Noraslan HADI further said that the MSE 2008 would occupy two halls of Expo Centre Sharjah measuring 8,000 sq. m.

Within the region, the UAE is Malaysia’s biggest trading partner. The country’s total trade with the UAE was valued at USD 3.23 billion in 2006, an increase of 20.6 per cent from USD 2.59 billion in 2005. Exports expanded by 18.8 per cent to USD 2.26 billion, from USD 1.84 billion, while imports grew by 25.06 per cent to USD 967.7 million from USD 749.5 million in 2005.

Globally, the UAE ranks 22nd in the list of Malaysia’s trading partners and accounts for 30.5 per cent of its total trade.

Malaysia’s major exports to the UAE are furniture, jewellery, machines, consumer electronics and palm oil.

Jewellery accounts for 32.8 percent of Malaysia’s exports to the UAE, followed by electrical and electronic products at 23.8 per cent, palm oil at 6.2 per cent and wood products at 6.3 per cent.

Malaysia’s major imports from the UAE are crude oil and other petroleum products.

Crude petroleum accounts for 52.9 per cent of Malaysia’s imports from the UAE, followed by refined petroleum products at 25 per cent and manufactured metal products at 9.9 per cent. Other imports from UAE include gold, aluminium and aluminium products, transport equipment, and machinery.

There are approximately 60 Malaysian companies operating in the UAE, involved mainly in trading, construction and architecture.

‘Malaysia today is an export-driven economy driven by high technology, and knowledge-based and capital-intensive industries. At present, it is one of the largest recipients of foreign direct investments. The last decade has witnessed a significant broadening of its industrial and services sector,’ said Mr. Fasahat Ali Khan, Advisor to the Chairman and Board of Directors of Expo Centre Sharjah.

‘The GCC States too, including the UAE, has been making rapid economic progress in a large array of sectors including construction, manufacturing, food, hospitality, energy, aviation, shipping and IT among others. The region’s economies are currently booming and there are no indications of any let up. Considering this scenario, I am confident that the MSE 2008 will further enhance cooperation between the region and Malaysia and enable the two to capitalize on each other’s strengths for their stronger economic development,’ he said.

Mr. Khan further added: ‘Mr. P. Ravi, who is Expo Centre Sharjah’s Group Project Manager for Exhibition Services and Leasing, has been entrusted with the responsibility of administering MSE 2008. Mr. Ravi is highly experienced in his field and has very successfully managed several similar events in the past.’

The MSE 2008 will be the region’s most focused sourcing platform on the Malaysian services sector, according to Mr. Saif Al Midfa, Director General of Expo Centre Sharjah.

‘From being the world’s largest producer of rubber and tin, Malaysia today is one of the world’s leading exporters of semiconductor devices, computer hard disk drives, and consumer electronic items,’ said Mr. Saif Al Midfa.

‘Malaysian services are in great demand across the world for their stringent adherence to quality. MSE 2008 at Expo Centre Sharjah will provide the region access to a wide range of quality services from a number of industrial sectors in Malaysia on a single platform,’ he said.

Mr. Saif Al Midfa further said that the MSE 2008 would be an opportunity for Malaysian companies to establish their foothold in a booming and lucrative Middle East market.

‘The MSE 2008 will provide ample scope to Malaysia-based companies to appoint distributors, agents, and associates in the region for their services. It will be a channel for exploring scope for cooperation between Malaysian and regional companies. Besides, the exhibition will be a window to the investment opportunities that Malaysia and the region offers,’ he added.

A major attraction of the MSE 2008 will be the various forums on selected Malaysian services such as construction, professional services, ICT, education and healthcare services by specialists and industry experts that will be organized on the sidelines.

The round-table discussions with relevant Malaysian Government agencies and senior representatives from various Malaysian industry and trade associations and the one-to-one business meetings with potential Malaysian suppliers and service providers, will also be of considerable interest to trade visitors from the region.

‘The inauguration of the MSE series of exhibitions is both timely and strategic as Malaysian products and services are now gaining a well-deserved reputation for providing companies in West Asia with key components and services in critical industries that are both world-class and price competitive,’ said Mr. Noraslan HADI.

To ensure that visitors to MSE 2008 gain first-hand, updated and unbiased information on the capability and skill sets of their respective industry sectors in Malaysia, MATRADE will be collaborating with various Malaysian industry organisations and associations including Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), Professional Services Development Corporation (PSDC), Institute of Architects Malaysia (PAM) and Institute of Engineers Malaysia (IEM), and Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM).