Malay trade group to set up consortia with eye on mega projects

 

Malay Chamber of Commerce president Norsyahrin Hamidon said the consortia will be in the information technology, solar energy, and construction sectors.

KUALA LUMPUR: 

The Malay Chamber of Commerce plans to set up business consortia to help small and medium-sized enterprises gain access to mega projects.

Its president, Norsyahrin Hamidon, said this was the chamber’s new strategy to empower Malay entrepreneurs in 2025, in addition to overcoming challenges related to market competition.

He said information technology, solar energy, and construction-based consortia will be established to pool the expertise and strengths of members of the Malay business community.

“Through this initiative, SMEs will also have access to mega projects that were previously dominated by large companies.

“For example, in the solar energy field, we have successfully assembled more than 60 Malay-owned companies registered with the Sustainable Energy Development Authority to form a consortium that has gained Petronas’s attention for future projects,” he told Bernama.

To date, 30,000 companies are registered under the chamber.

Norsyahrin said the trade group will also implement a programme known as Gerakan Ekoniaga Madani to ensure members remain competitive both domestically and internationally.

It kicks off this month with a nationwide roadshow to collect data and assist entrepreneurs in beefing up their business infrastructure through digitalisation.

Norsyahrin expressed hope that the 2025 budget, which includes a RM40 billion allocation to support SMEs, and Malaysia’s Asean chairmanship would open international opportunities for Malaysian businesses.

“We are arranging collaborations with chambers of commerce in other countries, including Singapore, Thailand and Turkey, to assist our members in exploring fresh opportunities in the Asean and global markets,” he said. - FMT