MALAYSIA’S EXPORTS CONTINUE TO GROW

 
    By Martina Amira Azam

    KUALA LUMPUR, July 12 (Bernama) -– Malaysia’s exports from January to May this year continued to grow at 6.2 per cent, totalling to RM279.25 billion (US$92.146 billion) -- although this was a slower rate compared to the same period last year.

    The reduced growth was attributed mainly to the sluggish demand for
electrical and electronic (E&E) exports to US and Europe as well as to the supply chain disruptions in the aftermath of Japan's earthquake and tsunami in March.

    As a result, Malaysia’s exports of E&E showed a decline of 6.3 per cent to RM96.05 billion (US$31.858 billion) compared to the corresponding period in 2010, a statement released by Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) said Monday.

    The country's E&E exports usually account for 40 per cent of its total exports.

    Meanwhile, at a workshop organised by Matrade on International Standards in Global Trade, its Senior Director of Exporters Development Division, Zakaria Kamarudin, said in order to boost Malaysia’s exports of E&E products, Matrade had outlined several trade promotional programmes in which Malaysian companies can participate.

    Among them would be the SEMICON West 2011 in San Francisco from July 12–14.

    Matrade would be also initiating the Global Supply Chain programme for local companies through which these companies can identify key overseas companies for them to supply their products to.

    Meanwhile, the workshop today was jointly organised by Matrade and the International Trade Commission (ITC), a joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations.

    It was aimed at assisting Malaysian companies in enhancing their knowledge on the importance of using global standards; improving their understanding of the key differences between private and public standards; gaining a first impression of the impact and limitation of these standards when implemented on-the-ground; and providing hands-on exercise on how to use ITC’s Standards Map web tool and learn its benefits.
    --BERNAMA