Photo Caption: L-R: Fijian High Commissioner to Malaysia, H.E Ratu Meli Bainimarama, Fijian Attorney-General and Minister for Industry and Trade, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, Malaysian Deputy Minister for International Trade and Industry, YB Datuk IR. Hamim Samuri, and the Secretary of the Malaysia-Fiji Business Council.
The Attorney-General and Minister for Industry and Trade, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, officially launched the Malaysia-Fiji Business Council in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, 22 May 2014, as an organisation to grow and facilitate trade and investment between the two countries.
The Business Council will allow the Fijian and Malaysian business communities to communicate directly, share market intelligence and facilitate business and joint ventures. The Business Council will also support the flow of technology, capital and experts.
It is the second business council launched by the Bainimarama Government this year following the formation of the Indo-Fiji Business Council in January.
“The Malaysia-Fiji Business Council will help potential investors identify opportunities and take advantage of them. It will work with Fijian authorities and business associations to identify trade opportunities, in terms of both imports from Malaysia to Fiji and exports from Fiji to Malaysia,” he said.
The Attorney-General said that creating a sister organisation in Fiji is a high priority of the Bainimarama Government.
“It is important that a Fiji-Malaysia Business Council be formed in Fiji soon to allow businesses to easily interact and form strategic links with each other, as well as to enable the free flow of market information,” said the Minister.
At the launch, the Minister informed the Malaysian business community of the reforms and plans of the Bainimarama Government, emphasising Fiji’s open foreign policy.
“In the recent past, Fiji has developed diplomatic ties with 38 countries. This is testament to the fact that Fiji is expanding its horizons and looking for new markets for its goods,” said the Minister.
The Minister told the gathering that the Fijian Government is committed to ensuring that trade, investment and business develops between the two countries.
“In my meeting with the Deputy Minister for International Trade and Industry, YB Datuk Ir. Haji Hamim Samuri, earlier in the day, we discussed potential areas of opportunity for Malaysian companies in Fiji, such as agriculture, manufacturing and other sectors. We also discussed future opportunities for our two countries that have opened up through the reforms carried out by the Bainimarama Government,” said the Minister.
“The Malaysian Government suggested that Fiji participate in the international trade and investment-related forums hosted by Malaysia and consider a trade and investment delegation to Malaysia in the near future,” the Minister added.
The Fijian delegation included the Fijian High Commissioner to Malaysia, H.E Ratu Meli Bainimarama, Permanent Secretary for Industry and Trade, Mr. Shaheen Ali, Executive Chair of FSC, Mr. Abdul Khan and Deputy Secretary for Industry and Business Development, Mr. Maciu Lumelume.
MINFO