logo
MATRADE Supports RM2.09 Trillion Export Target By 2030

MATRADE Supports RM2.09 Trillion Export Target By 2030

Barnama2 days ago
BUSINESS
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 8 (Bernama) — The Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) supports the country's gross export growth target, averaging 5.8 per cent annually, to reach RM2.09 trillion by 2030.
In a statement today, it said it will continue to play a strategic role in expanding global trade networks and intensifying export promotion in high-impact sectors aligned with MADANI economic principles.
MATRADE chairman Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican said the agency's initiatives will be coordinated to support the government's aspirations under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP).
"Priority will be given to strengthening the nation's export competitiveness by empowering micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), exploring new markets, enhancing product innovation, and adapting to an increasingly complex and challenging global trade landscape by embracing digital and sustainable business models."
"These efforts align with the 13MP's aspirations, which emphasise the importance of driving economic growth via increasing exports, strengthening economic inclusivity, and incorporating technology and innovation in strategic sectors," he said.
Meanwhile, MATRADE chief executive officer Datuk Seri Mohd Mustafa Abdul Aziz said the export promotion programme focuses on key sectors such as electrical and electronic goods, halal, digital, agriculture, franchised products, and services.
"These efforts also leverage MATRADE's network of overseas offices to help Malaysian companies effectively foray into international markets," he added.
According to MATRADE, expanding export matching programmes, foreign market guidance, and the provision of capacity-building programmes such as seminars, workshops, and related courses will be implemented for MSMEs.
It will also take strategic steps in planning export development and promotion programmes that align with government aspirations, particularly in developing high-growth, high-value industries. These include the electrical and electronics sector, games and digital animation, halal products, modern agriculture, global services and franchising.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Ringgit poised for cautious trading as US tariff concerns linger
Ringgit poised for cautious trading as US tariff concerns linger

The Star

time32 minutes ago

  • The Star

Ringgit poised for cautious trading as US tariff concerns linger

KUALA LUMPUR: The ringgit is anticipated to trade cautiously against the dollar this week as investors monitor external developments, particularly regarding US tariffs. In a research note, Kenanga Investment Bank Bhd stated that the ringgit should find support from domestic economic stability and a softer US dollar, likely holding near current levels. 'President Donald Trump's proposed chips and pharmaceutical tariffs will likely dampen sentiment in risk assets. Investors are also tracking pressure on BRICS and signs of strain in the US-China trade detente. 'Trump's rapid-fire policy moves and media headlines continue to drive market uncertainty,' it said. Hence, the research house said the ringgit traded higher last week, hovering within the range of 4.23 to 4.24 after a weaker-than-expected US jobs report pulled the greenback lower. On a Friday-to-Friday basis, the ringgit ended last week higher against the greenback, closing at 4.2420/2480 versus 4.2750/2815 previously. However, the local note traded lower against a basket of major currencies. The ringgit depreciated vis-à-vis the Japanese yen to 2.8720/8763 last Friday from 2.8407/8452 the previous week, declined against the British pound to 5.7034/7114 from 5.6208/6293 and eased versus the euro to 4.9381/9451 from 4.8752/8826. The ringgit also trended lower against Asean currencies. The local note slipped against the Singapore dollar to 3.3014/3064 at the end of last week from 3.2907/2960, inched down versus the Thai baht to 13.1173/1419 from 13.0058/0319, slid versus the Indonesian rupiah to 260.3/260.8 from 258.8/259.4 and edged down against the Philippine peso to 7.43/7.44 from 7.35/7.36 in the preceding week. — Bernama

13MP boost for affordable housing
13MP boost for affordable housing

The Star

time32 minutes ago

  • The Star

13MP boost for affordable housing

PETALING JAYA: The government's announcement under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) to develop one million affordable housing units between 2026 and 2035, will help ease pent-up demand and improve homeownership prospects. Zerin Properties chief executive officer Previn Singhe said the government's target of building one million affordable homes over a 10-year period is both 'bold and ambitious'. 'Beyond numbers, success will depend on building in the right places, close to jobs, transport and services, as well as ensuring these homes are designed to genuinely meet the needs of B40 and M40 families. 'This is so they do not risk becoming future overhang statistics,' he told StarBiz. Previn said it is imperative that there are 'supporting measures' to ensure this plan succeeds. 'Measures such as the improvement of existing affordable housing financing schemes, including the expansion of the rent-to-own and housing credit guarantee programmes, will be critical in widening access to homeownership for first-time and lower-income buyers. 'At the same time, making schools a mandatory component of large-scale housing projects will enhance liveability and strengthen long-term community value. 'Together, these measures push housing delivery beyond bricks and mortar –towards building integrated, future-ready communities.' Olive Tree Property Consultants founder and chief executive officer Samuel Tan also said the move by the government to build one million affordable homes under the 13MP was 'ambitious'. 'The government remains committed to ensuring access to quality, affordable and inclusive housing. As of this year, 180,000 housing units have been completed, with another 235,000 currently under construction.' He noted that structural issues, such as the mismatch between housing supply and demand, as well as property prices that remain beyond the reach of many, continue to pose challenges. 'Selection of locations and developers are equally important. Achieving one million houses is only a quantitative target. What is more important is the qualitative target.' TA Research said the planned increase in affordable housing supply, particularly in strategic locations, should help ease pent-up demand and improve homeownership prospects for lower- and middle-income households. 'On the demand side, improved financing mechanisms, including tiered interest rates and flexible tenure structures, are expected to enhance affordability, especially for first-time buyers. 'We are also encouraged by the government's move to empower a central housing agency to lead planning and delivery efforts.' The research house said this could significantly reduce inefficiencies and eliminate duplication of efforts between federal and state bodies, paving the way for more targeted and effective execution. Tan noted that Malaysia faces a significant challenge in providing affordable housing for its citizens, with house prices often exceeding what many can afford. 'This affordability crisis is driven by various factors, including rising land costs, construction costs and a lack of sufficient affordable housing supply. 'There is also a discrepancy between the types of housing being built and the actual needs of the population, with an oversupply of high-end properties and a shortage of affordable options.' This imbalance, said Tan, is exacerbated by factors like income inequality and variations in housing preferences across different demographics. Moreover, he said the construction industry in Malaysia needs to embrace modern technologies and innovative building methods to improve efficiency, reduce costs and enhance the quality of housing. 'The adoption of the Industrialised Building System (IBS), for example, can help accelerate construction and lower costs, making housing more accessible.' He added that there should also be a consolidation of housing agencies to initiate and monitor housing development. 'Currently, multiple agencies are doing the same job and this increases the cost and causes confusion among the stakeholders,' Tan said. To ensure that initiatives under the 13MP come to fruition, Previn emphasised that there is a need to 'prioritise execution over announcements.' 'Malaysia's development plans have historically struggled with delivery gaps. To avoid repeating this pattern, we must establish clear ownership and accountability structures at both federal and state levels. 'There is also a need to ensure transparent timelines, key performance indicators and public reporting mechanisms for all flagship initiatives.' Previn also said there is a need to enable stronger inter-agency coordination, particularly between planning units, regulators and implementation bodies. 'Without robust execution frameworks, even the most well-crafted plans risk stalling.' Another significant structural shift that has been proposed under the 13MP is the mandatory adoption of the build-then-sell (BTS) model for housing development - to be enforced through amendments to the Housing Development Act. TA Research noted that while the intention is to curb project abandonment and enhance buyer protection, it added that the move introduces substantial funding and working capital risks for developers. 'Under the 10:90 BTS structure, developers must complete construction before receiving the bulk of sales proceeds. This could delay new launches and deter participation from smaller players with limited balance sheet strength or constrained access to project financing. 'In our view, this would accelerate market consolidation and widen the competitive gap in favour of well-capitalised players.' That said, the research house said it does not expect the implementation to be immediate. 'Given that it requires legislative amendments, the process is likely to involve multi-stakeholder consultations and industry engagement. A rushed rollout would be disruptive, and we believe policymakers are aware of the potential implications. 'We anticipate a phased approach that balances buyer protection with developer viability, potentially through exemptions, transitional support, or segmentation by developer scale,' it said. Previn also concurred that the BTS model is a major structural change that enhances consumer protection and market credibility, which reduces risks of poor-quality or abandoned projects. 'It will also accelerate IBS adoption, improving efficiency and delivery timelines. 'However, smaller, highly leveraged developers may face liquidity pressures, longer project cycles and higher financing costs, unless accompanied by supportive financing mechanisms or phased implementation of BTS.' Without sufficient large, capable IBS suppliers, Previn warned that there would be bottleneck risks that would push up costs and erode affordability. Tan meanwhile noted that currently, developers are allowed to sell houses before they are built under the 'sell-then-build' model. He noted that making the BTS model mandatory will be difficult. 'There are many obvious merits for this initiative. But it carries several problematic issues. Only the deep pocket developers can afford to implement this scheme. 'It will then be an uneven playing field for the start-ups and smaller development companies.' Tan said the additional holding cost will be passed on to the end-purchasers, making house prices more expensive. 'This will jeopardise our Home Ownership Programme. On the other hand, it will ensure that abandoned projects are curbed. End-purchasers buy what they see ensuring that quality is maintained. 'We opine that this BTS model should not be mandatory. Developers are given the options to choose the most appropriate models. The authorities must monitor their performance to ensure quality and timely delivery,' he said. Previn said many of the 13MP's strategies such as the BTS model and affordable housing targets are conceptually strong, but 'must be grounded in market data and developer capacity.' 'Enforcing BTS across the board without a phased rollout could tighten housing supply and raise costs in the short term 'Additionally, affordable housing should not just be 'affordable to build' but also meet the preferences and needs of the target buyers,' he said.

Takaful Malaysia's new deal offers earnings visibility
Takaful Malaysia's new deal offers earnings visibility

The Star

timean hour ago

  • The Star

Takaful Malaysia's new deal offers earnings visibility

PETALING JAYA: Syarikat Takaful Malaysia Keluarga Bhd 's (Takaful Malaysia) recent deal with RHB Islamic Bank Bhd provides long-term earnings visibility and stability of contributions for the former, analysts say. Takaful Malaysia signed two new 20-year exclusive bancatakaful service agreements with RHB Islamic, effective from Aug 1, one for family takaful and another for general takaful products. The deal supports Takaful Malaysia's embedded value growth and broadens its bank-partner network, currently at 17. It also underscores Takaful Malaysia's dominant position in Malaysia's credit protection takaful segment, said CIMB Research. Takaful Malaysia's 20-year service agreement with RHB Islamic Bank Bhd further strengthens the company's future earnings base, particularly from credit-related takaful products such as mortgage reducing term takaful and personal-financing protection. These segments currently contribute about 50% to 60% of Takaful Malaysia's overall earnings and are predominantly driven by bancatakaful partnerships. The remaining portion is largely supported by coverage for civil-servant loans under the Public Sector Home Financing Board scheme. Takaful Malaysia underwrites the largest credit protection portfolio in the Malaysian market, maintaining its leading position with a 26% market share. The new agreement marks a renewal of the company's long-standing bancatakaful partnership with RHB Islamic, which began in 2015. The initial five-year agreement from 2015 to 2020 and the first renewal on Aug 1, 2020 to July this year have now been superseded by a longer, 20-year exclusivity period, reflecting a deepening of the strategic relationship CIMB Research views this long-term renewal as a strategic positive for Takaful Malaysia as RHB Islamic is one of the company's top five bancatakaful issuers, given the latter's position as a preferred partner, contributing about 10% of total family takaful contributions. Maintaining the partnership ensures continuity of business from a meaningful channel. CIMB Research maintained its earnings per share forecasts for Takaful Malaysia and its 'buy' call on the stock with a target price of RM4.60 a share. At the current price, CIMB Research said it believes Takaful Malaysia is trading at an attractive price-to-book ratio for next year of 1.2 times, which is about 40% below the five-year mean of two times. CIMB Research said it believes the discount is unjustified given Takaful Malaysia's superior return on equity of 19%, which is about 2.2 to 6.8 percentage points higher than that of listed peers such as LPI Capital Bhd and Allianz Malaysia Bhd , and the strong growth in takaful contributions.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store