Penang Gerakan will play its role to ensure that the state’s economy especially the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) industry will continue to growth.

Penang Gerakan state chairman Dato’ Dr Teng Hock Nan said the party can still play its role to ensure that the state economy does not fall asleep in this challenging time.

“We hope everybody can play their role whether it is SME or businessman, even the state government, we can actually work together for the good of Penang,” he told reporters after attending a dialogue session chaired by Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation’s (Matrade) Chairman Datuk Mah Siew Keong with some 100 SMEs held at the Suntech City in Bayan Baru recently.

He said the dialogue session, organised by the Penang Gerakan Economy and SME Development Bureau, was held the states SMEs resolve their problems.

However, Mah also urged the local SMEs to apply the Market Development Grants (MDG) directly with Matrade instead of going through third parties or agent to avoid any unnecessary problems.

He said applications could also be sent via e-mail through its website or walk-in to the Matrade office.

“I have heard of cases where applicants had gone through an agent or third party,” he said, adding that this is not encouraged.

Mah said Matrade had allocated about RM23mil in grants to encourage SMEs to participate in overseas expos.

“They can apply to Matrade to pay half of their expenses which includes their accommodation and flight tickets to foreign countries,” he said, adding that since the MDG started in 2002, about 3,000 companies has been approved market development grant valued at RM79 million and 355 companies are from Penang amounting to RM9.75 million.

He said one of the main reasons that the local SMEs do not go abroad to promote their product because they do not know about Matrade’s service.

“Matrade will hold more than 100 public workshops next year aimed at helping SMEs take advantage of what we have to offer.”

“In Penang, we will organise about six programmes to help the state SMEs and exporters,” he said.

Mah hoped that the local exporters and the SMEs will get more information from Matrade especially on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) which Malaysia has signed with a number of countries.

“FTA is a very important in the trading industry as it will allow both countries who signed the agreement to export and import their products without duty,” he said.

He added that currently, Malaysia has signed FTA with countries like Chile, Japan, Pakistan, New Zealand, China, South Korea, India and Australia.

by Editorial Desk
gerakan4u.com