M'SIAN PM NAJIB'S CALL TO BOOST TRADE WITH AFRICA TIMELY, SAYS FMM

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 4 (Bernama) -- The Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers
(FMM) has hailed the recent call by Prime Minister Najib Razak to Malaysian
businesses to step up trade with Africa as timely.

In a statement Thursday, chairman of FMM committee on small- and
medium-scale industries, Soong Siew Hoong, said Malaysia has a lot to offer the
rapidly-growing market on the continent.

"FMM plans to organise trade delegations to Ghana and Nigeria this year.

"It will also participate in Propak Africa 2013, an exhibition that focuses
on packaging, food processing, printing, plastics and labelling to be held from
March 12-15, 2013 in Johannesburg, South Africa," he said.

Meanwhile, Soong said, SMEs should look for suitable business opportunities
and partners in Africa to expand their operations overseas.

He said Africa could be the source of tapioca and timber.

"Africa grows lots of tapioca and has large tracts of forests. With our
machinery and expertise we can process the tapioca and the timber on-site or
bring them back to Malaysia for food production or furniture manufacture," he
said.