PPIPBM urges bumiputera firms to increase business competitiveness

In making this call, Bumiputera Manufacturers and Services Industry Association of Malaysia (PPIPBM) Deputy President Rosli Abd Shukor said the efforts included increasing their production capability and secure certification and accreditation required such as halal certification from the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia.

"This will help increase their product quality and quantity as well as expand their business opportunities to export the products," he said.

He said this to Bernama after a "Pocket Talk" programme organised by PPIPBM together with the National Entrepreneurial Group Economic Fund (Tekun Nasional) and Export-Import Bank of Malaysia Bhd.

Rosli said competition could not be avoided and continuous efforts to strengthen its members to face the business challenges would be aggressively implemented to ensure their resilience and progress.

"With the free trade agreements between Malaysia and other countries, the latest being the Trans-Pasific Partnership Agreement, the companies must be more prepared to face the challenges ahead from now on.

"PPIPBM will focus on programmes to address current business issues including online trade, product branding and financing so that they would give high impact in increasing the member companies' competitiveness," he said.

"Hence, companies must grab the opportunities to further expand their business by capitalising on programmes or institutions that assist in industry development such as the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade), Malaysia Entrepreneurship Development Centre (MEDEC), Majlis Amanah Rakyat and Tekun Nasional," he added.

PPIPBM plays the role as a facilitator and coordinator to entrepreneurs by providing advisory services and business information to its members.