Canada Keen To Promote Business And Trade Ties With Malaysia

By Manik Mehta TORONTO (Canada), May 3 (Bernama) -- Canada is keen to promote and intensify business and economic ties with Malaysia, says Toronto-based Malaysian Trade Commissioner Norzihan Mohd Zain. "We just had a specialised marketing mission (SMS) to Canada organised by the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) in conjunction with the Malaysian Industry Government Group for High Technology (Might) between April 23 and April 26, focusing on Malaysia-Canada technology partnership for business. "According to the feedback received from the delegation members, who also called on top executives of Canadian firms, there is tremendous interest on the part of Canada to promote trade and business ties with Malaysia," he told Bernama. The mission comprised 10 representatives from six companies, in addition to Matrade and MIGHT representatives. Norzihan said the members held 36 business meetings and sales generated amounted to about US$113.49 million (RM344 million). The mission, Norzihan said pursued "clear-cut objectives" to enhance relations and explore opportunities for collaboration, smart partnership and joint ventures in the high-technology industry between Malaysian and Canadian companies; promote exports of Malaysian high technology products and services to Canada; and to strengthen existing business networks between Malaysia and Canada. "The SMS was interested in smart partnerships which are meant to benefit both sides," she explained. The companies in the mission included CMC Engineering Sdn Bhd which generated sales of RM20 million, Composites Technology Research Malaysia Sdn Bhd (RM60 million), Premium Renewable Energy Sdn Bhd (RM145 million), Scomi Rail Bhd (RM61 million), Silterra Malaysia Sdn Bhd (RM33 million) and Transmaris Techno-Sciences Sdn Bhd (RM25 million). The SMS visit came after the high-profiled state visit of Canadian governor general, David Johnston, who visited Malaysia last year from November 13 to 16, and held a series of exchanges with the Malaysian government and the industry with a view to forging closer trade and business relations. Johnston's visit to Malaysia, which was part of a tour of Southeast Asia, was his first state visit as Canada's governor-general primarily aimed at promoting trade and business ties between the two countries. Norzihan said the SMM visit also showed that there was "good untapped potential" for business between the two sides. "Canadian companies are interested in Malaysia both as a supplier and also as a market. "Indeed, Canada is keen to promote ties with Malaysia," she said, adding that Matrade would set up promotional booths at several forthcoming trade shows in Canada, including the Mechanical Electrical Electronic Technology at Moncton, New Brunswick and at the Construct Canada in Toronto. Norzihan added although only promotion booths would be set up at these fairs, participation in such events would create greater awareness of the opportunities for Canadian-Malaysian trade and businesses. (US$1 = RM3.03) -- BERNAMA