MATRADE tasked to facilitate the promotion of Malaysian industry capabilities under MOF-IsDB partnership programme

MALAYSIA External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) is collaborating with Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) to promote business partnerships between Malaysian companies and their counterparts in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) nations around the world.

The collaboration will see MATRADE leading an effort called Reverse Linkage (RL) to create business opportunities for Malaysian companies in the 56 OIC countries.

The RL is an area of coverage under a Memorandum of Understanding between IsDB and Ministry of Finance. It is based on three main pillars – social development, infrastructure development and industrial needs.

The RL aims to provide partnership opportunities among the countries in need of assistance in terms of technical expertise and experience sharing in various economic sectors.

Through the RL, Malaysian companies will have the opportunity to access the OIC market of 1.8 billion people.

MATRADE’s Chief Executive Officer Dato’ Wan Latiff Wan Musa, said MATRADE views the collaboration with IsDB as strategic in helping the development of the OIC countries.

“MATRADE fully supports this collaboration as we believe in mutual benefits. This effort will boost respective countries’ economic well-being through partnerships that are driven by complementing capabilities.

We hope our counterparts in the OIC will benefit from working with Malaysian partners through the RL initiatives,” Wan Latiff said at a workshop on Mapping Malaysia’s Resource Centres (MMRC) jointly held with IsDB at Menara MATRADE yesterday.

The MMRC, one of the initiatives under RL is a directory of Malaysian service providers and product suppliers. The MMRC will feature companies from 14 Malaysian key sectors such as Aerospace, Construction & Infrastructure, Education, Islamic Finance, Halal, Logistics & Transportation, Oil & Gas, among others.

The directory is scheduled to be launched in February 2020 and will be distributed by IsDB to stakeholders in the OIC member countries. Apart from the Malaysian companies, the MMRC will also feature key Malaysian agencies and serve as a reference for IsDB when matching their potential clients with Malaysian business community.

“This is a strong value proposition for us as we get to leverage on IsDB’s credibility in matching Malaysian businesses with reliable and high-value international partners. This in the long run can positively impact Malaysia’s export growth,” Wan Latiff shared.

IsDB’s representative, also the Regional Coordinator for RL in Asia, Aminuddin Mat Arif shared the same sentiment. “We are very pleased to work with MATRADE as our Malaysian partner for the RL.

The Lexis Hotel Group is no stranger to giving back to the community.

THE premier niche luxury hotel management group takes pride in its longstanding commitment to help out underprivileged groups in the country and has carried out numerous community engagement initiatives.

This led to the Lexis Hotel Group bagging the top award, “Company Of The Year Award: Social Responsibility Excellence” at the CSR Malaysia Awards 2019 at Sheraton Imperial.

Present to receive the prestigious award was Mandy Chew Siok Cheng, President of Lexis Hotel Group from Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Hannah Yeoh.

“We are delighted to receive the Company Of The Year Award at the CSR Malaysia Awards 2019. At the Lexis Hotel Group, we believe in always giving back to the community and taking care of the environment.

This award underscores our commitment to two of our core values – implementing sustainable programmes by promoting and adopting responsible environmental practices and providing care for the community by engaging in corporate social responsibility activities,” said Mandy Chew Siok Cheng.

Over the years, the Lexis Hotel Group has touched the lives of many from underprivileged communities, including the elderly, children and the disabled, by bringing them cheer during festive seasons including Chinese New Year, Hari Raya, Deepavali and Christmas.

Other notable CSR initiatives included: sponsoring stays for the disabled and for leukaemia patient, Amirul, in collaboration with Make-A-Wish-Malaysia; and a charity buffet hi-tea with cancer survivors and local celebrities – Jaclyn Victor, Adibah Noor and Datuk Zainal Abidin, with proceeds going to Pertubuhan Hospice Negeri Sembilan.

Aside from giving back to the community, the Lexis Hotel Group is a huge proponent in caring for the environment. Every year, the Group celebrates ‘Earth Hour’ across their properties, to educate and raise awareness of the importance of valuing and appreciating Earth, the environment and also saving energy.

They do this by switching lights in public spaces, restaurants and surrounding areas of their resorts for an hour. Last year, the Group partnered with Body Shop Malaysia, with 500 volunteers, for International Coastal Cleanup 2018, to collect hundreds of kilograms of thrash to clean up the Teluk Kemang beach in Port Dickson.

The annual CSR Malaysia Awards is jointly organised by Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility Malaysia Welfare Society (CSR Malaysia) and World Sustainable Community, with the support of the Women, Family & Community Development Ministry, where outstanding public-listed companies are honoured for their corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts, to promote sustainable economies through helping marginalised communities and making environmental efforts to preserve Malaysia’s
heritage for future generations.

AirAsia continues its successful partnership with Surfing Australia, Surfing NSW, Surfing WA and Surfing Queensland as Official Airline of Surfing in Australia.

AIRASIA, the World’s Best Low-Cost Airline, is taking Australian surfing to new heights for another year, renewing its multifaceted deal and commitment to the sport.

Head of Branding Rudy Khaw for AirAsia Group said, “The sponsorship renewal builds on a successful first year partnership with Australia’s surfing bodies. Surfing is at the heart of Australian culture and we’re proud to have formed such a strong connection with the surfing community here.

“Our extensive network of more than 140 destinations offers surfers some of the world’s best surf breaks, in places such as Indonesia, Taiwan, the Maldives, Japan, the Philippines and Sri Lanka.

“By partnering with Surfing Australia and state surfing bodies in New South Wales, Western Australia and Queensland we’re demonstrating our commitment to making low-cost travel a reality not only for our surfers but for all Australians. Combined with our surfboards fly free policy, this makes us the airline of choice for surfers.”

Surfing Australia CEO Chris Mater said, “We are delighted to continue our partnership with AirAsia.”

“Together we have delivered some great events and we look forward to seeing what we can do in this next chapter of our relationship.

“AirAsia is great choice for Australian surfers to fly to get their international surfing fix at a very affordable price.”

The deal includes working with Surfing Australia as the official airline of the nudie Australian Boardriders Battle National Series and the State surfing bodies to award the best air maneuvers. Key events will have the AirAsia Big Air Award and introduce AirAsia Airshows where crowds can watch surfers take flight in a dedicated air session.

AirAsia’s Beach Club concept will also form part of major surfing events, giving spectators the opportunity to relax on deck chairs under beach umbrellas with fresh coconuts and go into the draw to win fantastic AirAsia giveaways.

The AirAsia Juraki Surf Invitational is a highlight on the Australian surfing calendar. Held in August 2019 in Fingal Head, the event will bring together Indiginous surfers to celebrate surf and culture.

AirAsia’s newest ambassadors, Australian surfing favourite Felicity Palmateer and 2017 WSL Men’s Championship Tour Rookie of the Year Connor O’Leary, will travel with AirAsia to explore and share their surfing experiences from Sri Lanka, Lombok, the Maldives and Taiwan.

AirAsia will also extend its ‘Surfboards Fly Free’ initiative in 2019, meaning surfers from Australia will be able to travel with their surfboard with no excess luggage cost, to any of the surfing hotspots found in AirAsia’s network.

To view the new baggage policy: https://www.airasia.com/au/en/freesurf.page and to book your next surfing adventure, visit airasia.com.