Sri Lanka-Malaysia Business Awards 2009:

More trade opportunities from Malaysia

Anuradha Kodagoda

With the defeat of terrorism in Sri Lanka, the year 2009 will bring better opportunities for a trade and investment promotion from Sri Lanka to Malaysia and vice versa, said the High Commissioner of Malaysia in Sri Lanka, Rosli Ismail.

He was speaking at the press conference to announce the fifth Sri Lanka-Malaysia Business Awards 2009.

Malaysian companies have many strengths that can be jointly utilized with the business partners here in Sri Lanka and the world over. In Malaysia we are also more than willing to share our knowledge and experience with Sri Lanka as well as with other countries, in order to advance trade and commerce in the region and beyond,” he said.

“Looking at the structure of trade and investment between Malaysia and Sri Lanka, it seems obvious that the full potential of both countries is yet to be explored by the business communities of both sides,” he said.

“In terms of trade in 2008, export from Malaysia to Sri Lanka amounted to USD 404 million compared to USD 364 million in 2007 and imports between these two countries were recorded as USD 36 million compared to USD 32 million in 2007,” he said.

“Malaysia remains the largest foreign investor in Sri Lanka for the past four years. In terms of investment, Malaysia has invested over USD 300 million in Sri Lanka since 2007,” he said.

Sri Lanka-Malaysia Business Council (SLMBC) which functions under the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce will be organizing the fifth Sri Lanka-Malaysia Business Awards Presentation in August 2009.