MATRADE Introduces Large Corporations and SMEs Partnership Programme (15 December 2015)
MATRADE INTRODUCES LARGE CORPORATIONS AND SMEs PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMME TO STIMULATE SERVICES EXPORT
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2015, KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) announced its latest initiative to help boost Malaysia’s exports of services - Large Corporation-SME Partnership Programme at Menara MATRADE, Kuala Lumpur today. The partnership programme is an initiative by the government to increase the export of services sector and its contribution to the national economy.
The programme aims to increase the number of partnership between Malaysia’s large corporations and SMEs for international projects by way of procurement of the SME’s services by the large corporations. Under this partnership arrangement, SME service providers will benefit in terms of knowledge transfer, capacity building and international exposure.
The partnership programme will run for five years until 2020 and targets to assist a minimum of 10 SMEs and three partnerships yearly, throughout the five year period. Participation into the programme is open to Malaysian companies involved in the services sector or companies aspiring to export their services.
“Collaboration between large corporations and SMEs is the way to go. The partnership will give SMEs the opportunities to enhance their capabilities and gain exposure in foreign ventures with large corporations. Mentoring and emulating best practices should be encouraged in business,†said Dato’ Dzulkifli Mahmud, CEO of MATRADE.
The partnership programme is one of the initiatives listed in the Services Sector Blueprint which was launched in March 2015 by YAB Prime Minister of Malaysia Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Haji Abdul Razak. The Blueprint outlines strategic approach to optimise the services sector’s contribution to Malaysia’s economy. The services sector contributed 55 per cent to the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2014 and provided eight million jobs representing 61% of total employment of the country.
Exports of services in the third quarter of 2015 increased by 1.7% to RM34.14 billion (Year-on-Year basis) and higher by 3.9% compared to quarter two of 2015. The increase in exports were contributed mainly by higher exports of telecommunications, computer and information services (TCIS), construction as well as transports sector.
