BRANDING INCENTIVES TO HELP M'SIAN COMPANIES COMPETE GLOBALLY

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 11 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian government is providing
incentives such as branding and marketing-related support programmes to help
Malaysian companies compete globally, the Upper House of Parliament was told
Thursday.

Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry Liew Vui Keong
said the government also helps develop domestic company brands and introduces
Malaysian products and services at international level.

He said the government understands the importance of branding and issues
related to it such as copyright, packaging, product standardisation, invention,
branding knowledge and services.

"The government has taken steps to simplify, enrich knowledge and upgrade
branding acumen in Malaysia," he said when replying to Senator Soon Tian
Szu who asked on government strategies to expedite development of more local
brands on Malaysian products and services at international level.

Among the incentives are brand promotion grant, soft loan scheme for
international branding, market development grant and export services
fund.

Other incentives are organising training programmes for export, trade and
investment promotions abroad and setting up special task force for national
branding to realise the 17 branding initiatives at national, industrial and
corporate levels identified in the Third Industrial Master Plan.

-- BERNAMA