EXPORTERS YET TO EXPLOIT FULL BENEFITS OF FTAs, SAYS MINISTER

KUALA LUMPUR, July 16 (Bernama) -- Exporters have yet to exploit the full benefits and potentials of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), International Trade and Industry (MITI) Minister Mustapa Mohamed said Thursday.

He said that while it was heartening to note the increase in the number of
Malaysian exporters utilising the benefits available under the FTAs and the
subsequent increase in exports, these numbers still represented a low
utilisation rate.

MITI and its agencies had conducted numerous FTA outreach programmes but
despite these efforts, response from exporters was still not encouraging, he
said during the ministry's annual dialogue here.

"We hope to further enhance our consultations with trade and industry
associations in order to increase exports under the various FTAs," he said.

Mustapa also said that while exports had declined compared to last year's
figure, "we should not be discouraged, but instead use this opportunity to seek
new markets or even to re-evaluate our business strategy, taking into account
global challenges".

MITI has scheduled a series of trade and investment missions targeting at
strategic markets.

For 2009, he said, a total of 10 trade and investment missions had been
planned to Europe, Taiwan, Korea and China, Eastern Europe, Asean countries,
Australia, United States, North and West Africa, Japan and India.
-- BERNAMA