Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation

SATURDAY, MAY 9, 2015 KUALA LUMPUR: As an initiative to drive exports of services, Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) is organising Malaysia Services Exhibition (MSE) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from 11 untill 14 May 2015. The event will be held in conjunction with the Saudi Building and Interiors Exhibition at Jeddah Centre for Forums and Events.

The participation is MATRADE’s second involvement in Saudi Building and Interiors Exhibition through its signature MSE platform. 18 Malaysian companies comprising established players from the construction industry, project management firms, architectural firms and suppliers of building materials as well as electrical and electronics for residential and industrial applications will be participating in this event. Malaysian services to be showcased include construction and its related services, engineering services, architectural services, project management services and landscaping works including playground design and installations.

Considered as an effort to improve market immersion among the local companies, MATRADE will be arranging business meetings between the Malaysian participants with selected Saudi enterprises and visits to members of Chambers of Commerce Jeddah. Complementing the meetings are meetings with projects’ owners and follow-up discussions between several local companies and their existing clients.

As Saudi Arabia continues with its modernisation and development of residential and commercial areas, MSE Jeddah is the avenue for Malaysian exporters to access the vibrant and lucrative construction and interior management businesses in the Kingdom. In MATRADE’s first participation in Saudi Building and Interiors Exhibition last year, a total of RM895.19 million worth of businesses were recorded for the Malaysian participants, especially in the exports of building materials and construction-related services. The Saudi construction sector should see growth returning strongly in 2015, with an estimated 10% expansion, according to Business Monitor International (BMI) in its ‘Saudi Arabia Infrastructure Report Q1 2014′. Several developmental projects with a total value of US$ 3.5 billion have been finalised for the current fiscal year. There is an abundance of opportunities for Malaysian exporters in Saudi Arabia. Jeddah Municipality has finalised 29 projects and is working on 142 projects. Nineteen projects have been approved for this year for a total of US$ 507 million. Fifteen electricity and strategic storing projects are ready to serve Jeddah residents while 33 projects are still under construction, 18 water projects are in need while 7 new projects have been approved for this year. Some 28 projects have been finalised in the environment sector, 59 still in process and 10 new approved projects for this year.

In 2014, total bilateral trade between Malaysia and Saudi Arabia was valued at RM13.09 billion. Malaysia’s exports to Saudi Arabia were recorded at RM3.84 billion and among the main exported products included electrical and electronic goods, valued at RM696.2 million; machinery, appliances and parts (RM676.7 million); manufactures of metal (RM415.5 million); palm oil (RM346.1 million) and wood products (RM295.5 million). Malaysia imported mainly crude petroleum from Saudi Arabia, which was valued at RM4.53 billion, chemicals and chemical products (RM3.07 billion), petroleum products (RM1.35 billion) and manufactures of metal (RM0.19 billion).