MITI'S OVERSEAS OFFICERS GATHER TO DISCUSS TRADE STRATEGIES

KUALA LUMPUR, June 20 (Bernama) -- Overseas officers of the Ministry of
International Trade and Industry (MITI) will gather here Sunday to generate
ideas for trade and investment strategies.

"It is a time for MITI to review the work that they are doing overseas, and
how we can position ourselves to be more aggressive in terms of attracting
investment and promoting trade overseas," minister Mustapa Mohamed said
Saturday.

The overseas officers, numbering 53, are from the ministry, Malaysian
Industrial Development Authority (MIDA) and Malaysia External Trade Development
Corporation (Matrade).

Among them are those based in Europe, the United States, Japan, China, India
and the Asean region.

"The officers will be here for a week and at the same time, we are also
bringing them to the private sector for networking and visiting some companies
so that they can to do a better job," Mustapa told reporters after officiating
MITI Inter-Agencies Tournament 2009 at Gombak near here.

According to him, the gathering is timely as investment inflows are going
down and trade is still in negative territory, adding that the ministry will be
reviewing the officers' tasks for the whole year.

"We do it all the time but this is a significant in line with the current
economic situation. We need input from them to find out what more they can do to
promote investment and trade," he said.

Mustapa said the officers will also be briefed on their enhanced role under
the government's proposed new economic model.

"There will a brainstorming session with the officers on how they can
promote more aggressively investment and trade overseas, and input on the new
economic model," he said.

Asked about Malaysia's trade performance, Mustapa said that trade was still
in negative territory but expected to improve by end of the third quarter this
year.

"We haven't got the numbers for May yet. We expect the numbers to be release
in a couple of weeks. End of this month, we will get a clear indication," he
said.

-- BERNAMA