Decision to participate in Expo Milano yields results

He said with the government's moderate expenditure, compared with other countries' to participate in the world's biggest expo, which was held once in five years, the returns were expected not only in the short but also in the long term.

The participation in the expo, which started from May 1 and ending on Oct 30, would expose the investment and trade opportunities Malaysia could offer to Europe, especially Italy, he said.

Najib said this to Malaysian reporters after making a three-day working visit to Milan starting last Friday.

He left for home at noon, Sunday.

The prime minister said to-date, 2.4 million people had visited the Malaysian Pavilion, representing 15 per cent of the total visitors to the expo.

The figure was higher that the projected 1.6 million visitors, he said. A study by a local newspaper, Corroere della Sierra, showed that Malaysia was third country the expo visitors liked after visiting the pavilion.

"Their impressions towards Malaysia very high," he said. The paper's study also showed that Malaysian food and food products were the third most delicious after Italy's and Colombia's, he said.

"The food sales at the pavilion raked in RM1.7 million and products from small and medium enterprises, including ready-to-cook meals, recorded sales of RM1 million," he said.

Najib said the glue-laminated timber used in the construction of the Malaysia Pavillion has gained access into European Union countries for the first time since it was environment-friendly.

He said the government's decision to participate in the expo was correct.