ID :
36239
Thu, 12/18/2008 - 13:42
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/36239
The shortlink copeid
MATRADE AND MIDA OFFICES IN COLOGNE MOVE TO FRANKFURT By Manik Mehta
FRANKFURT, Dec 18 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) and Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (MIDA) offices have moved from Cologne to Frankfurt, Germany's commercial capital.
The move, which was being mulled since a few years, finally took off last
year when a fundamental decision was arrived at between the Wisma Putra
(Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Matrade
and MIDA offices to centralise their location in one building.
Malaysia's first-ever consulate general, which opened in Frankfurt nearly
two years ago and was housed in temporary premises in Frankfurt, had been
looking for suitable permanent premises in a building where both Matrade and
MIDA would also be located.
"It was not much of a problem for the consulate general to shift from one
office to another because we were already in Frankfurt," Saiful Azam Martinus
Abdullah, Malaysian consul general in Frankfurt, said in an interview.
"However, it was quite a massive relocation for both the Matrade and MIDA
offices which were until recently based in Cologne," he said.
The new building is located in the direct proximity of Frankfurt's
Messegelaende, the sprawling trade fair and exhibition ground, which is
considered to be one of the city's finest commercial addresses.
The location will also benefit Malaysian businesspeople and exhibitors who
come in large numbers to participate at local trade fair events.
"Malaysian businesspeople and exhibitors stand to benefit from this new
location because they will have easy access not only to the consulate general
but also to Matrade and MIDA offices," Saiful Azam said.
"Since the nature of our work in Frankfurt is to promote trade and
business, the new location is a perfect address for us to pursue this goal," he
said.
Besides Matrade and MIDA, the Berlin-based Public Services Department
(PSD), which oversees Malaysian students in Germany, has also moved to the same
building in Frankfurt.
There are about 700 Malaysian students whom PSD looks after. An
overwhelming majority of Malaysian students, an estimated 99 percent, study
engineering and engineering-related subjects.
MIDA is located on the 20th floor for the time being while Matrade is
temporarily sharing its office with the consulate general until the permanent
premises are ready for occupation.
Saiful Azam said his mandate in Frankfurt was to find suitable premises not
only for the consulate general but also for the other three offices.
"That has been my task from day one. I am happy it has now been
accomplished within 23 months," he said.
But there are also other human-related stories that are interlinked with
any relocation.
"It is not easy to uproot families from Berlin and Cologne and move them to
Frankfurt. Finding suitable house for officers and their families, and schools
for children was not an easy task because this was a complete relocation, after
all," Saiful Azam said.
Nevertheless, he was happy that the transition had taken place "in an
incredibly smooth manner".
The new office will now be better equipped to perform its tasks.
"Firstly, we will be able to better serve the Malaysian community in the
Rhine-Main region. Secondly, we will be more comfortable in the new premises.
We wanted to assist and facilitate the Malaysian business community by being
close to the trade fair ground. We can now welcome Malaysian businessmen and
help them in any way we can," Saiful Azam said.
"Last but not least, we are here to serve the Malaysian students in central
and southern Germany. The new office will serve as a 'one-stop centre' for them.
We also can offer meetings rooms for their use," he said.
At present there are a total of 23 home-based and local staff members under
one roof. Including Tourism Malaysia in Frankfurt, which maintains an office in
a separate building, the total number of employees working for Malaysian
government agencies is 30.
Raja Badrul Raj Nizam, the Malaysian trade commissioner in Germany, was
"delighted" to be in Frankfurt.
"This will also be of practical importance for all of us, particularly
Malaysian businesspeople whose needs we have to attend to whenever they are
visiting Frankfurt for business or for participation in trade fairs," he
said.
"Frankfurt is also the commercial hub of Germany with its large cluster of
banks, insurance and finance companies," he added.
-- BERNAMA
The move, which was being mulled since a few years, finally took off last
year when a fundamental decision was arrived at between the Wisma Putra
(Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Matrade
and MIDA offices to centralise their location in one building.
Malaysia's first-ever consulate general, which opened in Frankfurt nearly
two years ago and was housed in temporary premises in Frankfurt, had been
looking for suitable permanent premises in a building where both Matrade and
MIDA would also be located.
"It was not much of a problem for the consulate general to shift from one
office to another because we were already in Frankfurt," Saiful Azam Martinus
Abdullah, Malaysian consul general in Frankfurt, said in an interview.
"However, it was quite a massive relocation for both the Matrade and MIDA
offices which were until recently based in Cologne," he said.
The new building is located in the direct proximity of Frankfurt's
Messegelaende, the sprawling trade fair and exhibition ground, which is
considered to be one of the city's finest commercial addresses.
The location will also benefit Malaysian businesspeople and exhibitors who
come in large numbers to participate at local trade fair events.
"Malaysian businesspeople and exhibitors stand to benefit from this new
location because they will have easy access not only to the consulate general
but also to Matrade and MIDA offices," Saiful Azam said.
"Since the nature of our work in Frankfurt is to promote trade and
business, the new location is a perfect address for us to pursue this goal," he
said.
Besides Matrade and MIDA, the Berlin-based Public Services Department
(PSD), which oversees Malaysian students in Germany, has also moved to the same
building in Frankfurt.
There are about 700 Malaysian students whom PSD looks after. An
overwhelming majority of Malaysian students, an estimated 99 percent, study
engineering and engineering-related subjects.
MIDA is located on the 20th floor for the time being while Matrade is
temporarily sharing its office with the consulate general until the permanent
premises are ready for occupation.
Saiful Azam said his mandate in Frankfurt was to find suitable premises not
only for the consulate general but also for the other three offices.
"That has been my task from day one. I am happy it has now been
accomplished within 23 months," he said.
But there are also other human-related stories that are interlinked with
any relocation.
"It is not easy to uproot families from Berlin and Cologne and move them to
Frankfurt. Finding suitable house for officers and their families, and schools
for children was not an easy task because this was a complete relocation, after
all," Saiful Azam said.
Nevertheless, he was happy that the transition had taken place "in an
incredibly smooth manner".
The new office will now be better equipped to perform its tasks.
"Firstly, we will be able to better serve the Malaysian community in the
Rhine-Main region. Secondly, we will be more comfortable in the new premises.
We wanted to assist and facilitate the Malaysian business community by being
close to the trade fair ground. We can now welcome Malaysian businessmen and
help them in any way we can," Saiful Azam said.
"Last but not least, we are here to serve the Malaysian students in central
and southern Germany. The new office will serve as a 'one-stop centre' for them.
We also can offer meetings rooms for their use," he said.
At present there are a total of 23 home-based and local staff members under
one roof. Including Tourism Malaysia in Frankfurt, which maintains an office in
a separate building, the total number of employees working for Malaysian
government agencies is 30.
Raja Badrul Raj Nizam, the Malaysian trade commissioner in Germany, was
"delighted" to be in Frankfurt.
"This will also be of practical importance for all of us, particularly
Malaysian businesspeople whose needs we have to attend to whenever they are
visiting Frankfurt for business or for participation in trade fairs," he
said.
"Frankfurt is also the commercial hub of Germany with its large cluster of
banks, insurance and finance companies," he added.
-- BERNAMA
