PACIFIC BASIN ECONOMIC COUNCIL
MAIN PAGE | CLIPS | 2002 | GLOBAL TRADE VIA PBEC

Global trade via PBEC Rupa Damodaran New Straits Times Monday, March 25, 2002 MALAYSIAN companies can propel themselves into the global trade arena if they take advantage of the Pacific Basin Economic Council (PBEC) to "expose" themselves, said PBEC director-general Rohana Tan Sri Mahmood. She said PBEC is an exclusive club for the 20 member economies and therefore offers an opportunity to Malaysian companies to leverage their businesses internationally. "Deals worth millions of ringgit have been struck at the previous forums as senior business leaders take advantage of the intimacy, contact and networking of this regional business forum," she said in an interview in Kuala Lumpur. She cited Sapura Group and Konsortium Logistik Bhd as examples of companies which made new international forays after establishing contacts through the forum. Petronas and the Lucky-Goldstar group of Korea also cut a deal following a PBEC forum in 1994. The 35th International General Meeting of PBEC will be held in Kuala Lumpur from May 3 to 7. PBEC is an international association of senior business leaders representing more than 1,100 major corporations in 20 economies around the Pacific, which account for more than US$4 trillion (RM15.2 trillion) in global sales and employ more than 10 million people. Rohana said Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional Bhd has requested for meetings with the participants from China and Korea during the meeting. A telco has also expressed its keen interest to meet the representatives of regional telcos. A Malaysian conglomerate which diversified from the automotive industry into hospitality, tourism, trading and ICT (information and communications technology) is also interested to join PBEC as it knows that it will benefit from being in contact with the more than 1,000 companies at the forum," she said. It is standard practice for the host country to help in matching various businesses from the member economies, she added. Rohana said although membership in PBEC was by invitation only, nonmember companies could also benefit from the forum through networking which in turn provides business opportunities.