KUALA LUMPUR – The Selangor International Business Summit (SIBS) series returned for its second edition this year from September 6 to September 16 at the Malaysia International Trade & Exhibition Centre (MITEC).
The 10-day summit features three main events, the ‘4th Edition of Selangor International Expo’, the ‘2nd Edition of Selangor ASEAN Business Conference’ and the ‘Selangor Smart City and Digital Economy Convention 2018’.
The opening ceremony was attended by Dato’ Menteri Besar of Selangor Amirudin Shari and graced by His Royal Highness Tengku Amir Shah ibni Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Al-Haj, Raja Muda of Selangor also visited exhibition booths at the Selangor International Expo 2018.
Dato’ Teng Chang Khim, Executive Councillor of the State Government of Selangor said during the official opening ceremony that the state of Selangor is the Gateway to ASEAN and is an aspiring Global Trading Hub. “Selangor is a significant centre-point for domestic and international businesses that would like to build or strengthen their presence in ASEAN and SIBS is the perfect platform to do just that.”
He added that the summit allowed for local and foreign multinational corporations, small and medium enterprises and entrepreneurs operating in the F&B industry to showcase their products and services, and act as a strategic avenue for marketing, collaborations and partnerships, while providing exposure and information on the latest technological developments globally.
Following its astounding success in 2017, which saw a total of 22,000 visitors and generated RM204.2 million in transaction value, SIBS has received support from MBI Selangor as Co-Organisers and MATRADE as an Endorsing Partner.
In his keynote speech, Amirudin said that the success of the summit in 2017 has strengthened Malaysia’s profile on the global map as one of the most important business partners in the ASEAN region.
“I believe the summit has successfully positioned Selangor as a solid trading platform where the community is able to gather with a common purpose, to do business, all in one place, and that is Selangor, the Gateway to ASEAN,” he said.
He added that the Golden State of Selangor has proven itself time and again, to be a formidable bastion of economic prowess and progress in Malaysia. As of 2017, Selangor singularly contributed a massive RM270 billion, or, 23% to the national GDP, with a high annual GDP growth rate of 7.1%. The official launch was followed by an exhibition tour of Selangor International Expo 2018.
With a total exhibition space of approximately 11,000sqm; the expo has attracted a mix of 60% domestic and 40% international F&B brands and features unique business matching offerings for local and international buyers, sighting a diverse mix of exhibitors from Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Laos, Indonesia, Vietnam, Brunei, Thailand, India, Africa, Egypt, Netherlands, Germany, New Zealand, Spain, Italy, England, Finland, Iran and Taiwan as well as the European Union.
The conference component of the summit, Selangor ASEAN Business Conference 2018 also kicked off with a lunch plenary session featuring Dr. Ong Kian Ming, Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI) who delivered a keynote address on the topic “Future of Malaysia in ASEAN”.
The conference also featured a second lunch plenary session the following day with Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, Minister of Economic Affairs, who delivered a keynote address on the topic “Economic Aspirations of Malaysia in ASEAN”.
A gala dinner was hosted on the second day of the summit at the Renaissance Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. The event was attended by Dato’ Teng Chang Khim as well as Raja Shahreen Bin Raja Othman, CEO of MBI Selangor.
“Looking at the Selangor International Expo 2018, I am pleased to see a real multi-national participation, with a record of 23 countries across the world,” said Dato’ Teng.
He added that over the next couple of days, the summit is looking forward to seeing more participations from visitors in the expo and to immerse themselves in the ASEAN experience, as well as trying their hands at experiencing other food cultures from around the world.
“When you look at the Selangor ASEAN Business Conference 2018, we have heard engaging panel discussions around real-life challenges and opportunities that business players from different countries and regions encounter on a daily basis,” he said.
The second day of the two-day Selangor ASEAN Business Conference had seen a total number of 1500 participants, which is a remarkable increase of 50% compared to the conference held last year.
The conference features over 50 industry leaders from ASEAN and beyond and offers delegates a holistic conference experience that focuses on tackling current issues and opportunities that impact the business landscape in ASEAN and had seen the participation of approximately 20 speakers.
The summit is not complete without the excitement of Smart City and Digital Economy Convention to be held from September 13 to September 15, 2018.
The convention is one of the largest in this region featuring forums and exhibitions on innovation, technology and e-commerce. “Industrial 4.0, AI (Artificial Intelligence), machine learning, blockchain, cryptocurrency and IoT (Internet of Things) will be among the jargons used for the next few days,” said Dato’ Teng.
“The more people understand the importance of trade and the magnitude it brings to the socio-economic landscapes globally, the more we are able to drive its agenda, especially within the Asean Economic Community. To achieve this, we will have to work together as a united single market.”
