SPEECH BY
THE HONOURABLE DATUK MOHD SHAFIE BIN HAJI APDAL
MINISTER OF DOMESTIC TRADE AND
CONSUMER AFFAIRS, MALAYSIA
AT THE BUSINESS MATCHING SESSION,
25 JUNE 2007, 2.00 PM,
LE MERIDIEN MONTPRANASSE HOTEL
HIS EXCELLENCY DATO? S. THANARAJASINGAM
AMBASSADOR OF MALAYSIA TO FRANCE
MR. ERIC BASCLE
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF CARREFOUR
MR. NOEL PRIOUX
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF CARREFOUR ASIA
MR. SHAFIE SHAMSUDIN
MANAGING DIRECTOR OF CARREFOUR MALAYSIA AND SINGAPORE
DISTINGUSIHED GUESTS,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
MAY I BEGIN BY WISHING YOU ALL A VERY GOOD AFTERNOON AND EXTEND MY WARM WELCOME TO ALL PARTICIPANTS OF THIS business matching SESSION. this SESSION HOSTED BY THE Malaysian MINISTRY OF DOMESTIC TRADE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS in COLLABORATION WITH CARREFOUR AND OTHER GOVERNMENT BODIES, IS PART OF THE ONE WEEK ?TASTE OF MALAYSIA? PROMOTIONAL PROGRAM, TO BE LAUNCHED TOMORROW AT CARREFOUR EVRY, PARIS.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
2. THIS session HAS BEEN arranged TO SHOWCASE A RANGE OF MALAYSIAN-MADE FOOD-based PRODUCTS, SELECTED specifically FOR THE FRENCH MARKET.
3. WE HAVE WITH US today REPRESENTATIVES FROM 20 MALAYSIAN PRODUCERS, OFFERING MORE THAN 100 ATTRACTIVE ITEMS FOR EXPORT TO FRANCE.
4. I AM BOTH GLAD AND PROUD THAT THESE PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED TO THE HIGHEST STANDARDS. MANY IN FACT EXCEED THE INTERNATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD BENCHMARKS. INDEED WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT FRANCE IS A VERY CHALLENGING MARKET, GIVEN THE STRINGENT REGIME OF FOOD QUALITY AND SAFETY STANDARDS. NEVERTHELESS, WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THE PRODUCTS ON SHOW HERE TODAY WILL READILY DELIGHT OUR FRIENDS IN FRANCE.
5. MALAYSIA IS A MULTI-ETHNIC SOCIETY, COMPRISING MANY different RACES AND CULTURE. MALAYSIANS ENJOY A WIDE AND EXTENSIVE VARIETY OF FOOD, RANGING FROM BISCUITS TO SNACKS AND EXOTIC MALAYSIAN DISHES MADE DELICIOUS BY THE ARRAY OF FINE EXOTIC SAUCES.
6. HALAL FOOD HAS ALSO BEEN LONG ESTABLISHED AND READILY ACCEPTED IN MALAYSIA. FOR MALAYSIA, halal FOOD IS JUST NOT A RELIGIOUS ISSUE BUT A HEALTH AND CLEANLINESS FOOD PROCESSING STANDARD THAT IS WIDELY SOUGHT BOTH DOMESTICALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY.
7. I ASSURE YOU THAT the quality of the products HERE TODAY will BE MAINTAINED and the required quantum will be supplied very promptly. The producers themselves here have given their commitment and i am positive that THEY WILL do their utmost to fulfilL YOUR REQUIREMENTS.
8. the GOVERNMENT OF MALAYSIA RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF MEETING THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC CHALLENGES. WE READILY ACCEPT THAT IN TODAY?S RAPIDLY CHANGING BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT, BOTH THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR NEED TO BE ALERT AND RESPONSIVE. MALAYSIA HAS A LONG HISTORY OF BEING A TRADING NATION. MALAYSIAN BUSINESSMEN ARE BOTH PROACTIVE AND RELIABLE. WE HAVE A VERY GOOD AND RESPECTABLE RECORD OF BEING BUSINESS PARTNERS IN JOINT VENTURES WITH ALL OUR INTERNATIONAL COUNTERPARTS.
9. currently processed food is the sixth largest export item of malaysia to france. i hope that through this BUSINESS MATCHING session and subsequent orders, we together would be able to incraese these exports beyond the current average of 27 MILLION EUROS.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
10. malaysia has enjoyed a long period of political stability and IT CANNOT BE DENIED THAT a sound legislative and regulatory framework IS THE KEY FACTOR FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH AND MADE MALAYSIA A SECURE AND PROFITABLE PLACE TO DO BUSINESS.
11. WE HAVE committed OURSELVES to create A MODERN EFFICIENT INFRASTRUCTURE AND a business friendly environment both for local and foreign direct investment.
12. OUR BUSINESS PARTNERS AND COLLEAGUES FROM OVERSEAS HAVE OFTEN COMMENTED ON THE HARDWORKING QUALITIES, ADAPTABILITY AND DILIGENCE OF MALAYSIAN BUSINESSMEN. THE 9TH MALAYSIA PLAN, A FIVE YEAR DEVELOPMENT PLAN TABLED BY THE HONOURABLE PRIME MINISTER OF MALAYSIA LAST YEAR BUILDS ON THIS AS OUR AIM IS TO HAVE A HIGHLY SKILLED AND MOTIVATED WORK FORCE, FULLY CAPABLE OF MEETING THE CHALLENGES OF THE GLOBAL MARKET.
13. THE GOVERNMENT OF MALAYSIA HAS ALSO INTRODUCED SEVERAL MEASURES TO PROMOTE E-COMMERCE AMONG THE SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE ENTERPRISES, NAMELY THE INTRODUCTION OF THE NATIONAL BROADBAND PLAN, A MOVE TO INCREASE THE INTERNET PENETRATION RATE. OTHER EFFORTS INCLUDE STRENGTENING THE DOMESTIC LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK PERTAINING TO E-COMMERCE, WITH SPECIFIC FOCUS ON PRIVACY AND SECURITY MEASURES.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
14. MALAYSIA WELCOMES AND PROVIDES SUBSTANTIAL SUPPORT FOR INWARD INVESTORS. IN SHORT MALAYSIA IS A GOOD PLACE TO DO BUSINESS. perhaps at this point i WOULD LIKE TO INVITE ALL OF YOU TO malaysia THIS YEAR IN CONJUCTION WITH the visit malaysia year 2007.
15. finally, I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR WISE DECISION ON COMING HERE TODAY TO PURCHASE MALAYSIAN PRODUCTS. I HOPE THIS PROMOTION AND BUSINESS MATCHING SESSION WILL BE BENEFICIAL AND FRUITFUL. I am positive that YOUR TIME HERE WILL PROVE TO BE A PROFITABLE AND REWARDING EXPERIENCE LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS FOR FUTURE COOPERATION AND GROWTH.
16. In closing MAY I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK CARREFOUR MALAYSIA, CARREFOUR FRANCE, THE MALAYSIAN EMBASSY AND THE MALAYSIAN TRADE COMMISSION FOR YOUR EFFORTS AND SUPPORT THAT HAVE MADE THIS IMPORTANT SESSION POSSIBLE.
17. WITH THIS, I WISH ALL OF YOU A VERY FRUITFUL BUSINESS MATCHING SESSION AND THE BEST OF good FORTUNE IN All YOUR UNDERTAKINGS.