GABEM To Set Up ASEAN Muslim Economic Convention Secretariat

KUALA LUMPUR, March 13 — The Federation of Malay Economic Bodies (GABEM) will set up an ASEAN Muslim Economic Convention (KEMA) secretariat in a bid to boost and strengthen the economy of ASEAN Muslims. GABEM Chairman, Rahim Tamby Chik, said the secretariat would be formed following the hosting of KEMA in the middle of this year. "The secretariat will coordinate the ASEAN Muslim community's commerce to compete with large companies in the ASEAN region,” he said at a KEMA media conference here Tuesday. Rahim said that among the objectives of setting up the secretariat was to provide opportunities for ASEAN Muslims to expand their businesses especially in the Digital Free Trade Zone (DFTZ) and to establish joint ventures with interested companies. KEMA will include the participation of Muslim companies and entrepreneurs from Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Cambodia. Rahim said at the convention, all participating countries would present working papers involving the challenges, business prospects as well as types of cooperation that could be forged in the effort to strengthen the Muslim economy in the ASEAN region. Meanwhile, Rahim urged the government to be more aggressive in handling issues related to the goods and services tax (GST), especially in terms of enforcement. “Among the steps that can be done is to establish a GST tribunal because it can provide protection to the public so they won't be exploited with price increases due to GST,” he added. -- BERNAMA