BizMatch Tokyo Has Potential To Generate Deals Worth RM500 Mln - Sim
KUALA LUMPUR, June 11 (Bernama) -- The Bank Rakyat BizMatch: Make Malaysian Businesses Great programme, which is being held in Tokyo, Japan, in conjunction with the Nikkei Forum: Future of Asia 2026, is expected to generate business deals worth more than RM500 million in the next 12 months.
Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong said the projection is based on business matching sessions and discussions held on June 9 between Malaysian and Japanese companies.
The programme, organised by Bank Rakyat and supported by the Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Ministry (MECD), brought together seven Malaysian companies and 27 Japanese firms to explore collaboration and market expansion opportunities across various sectors, including food, agriculture, commodity-based manufacturing and green technology.
“Based on the business matching sessions and discussions, the programme has the potential to generate transactions exceeding RM500 million over the next 12 months, subject to further negotiations, product qualification processes, regulatory approvals and the signing of commercial agreements,” he said.
He said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s visit to Japan not only focused on large-scale investments and multinational corporations, but also created new business opportunities for Malaysian micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to expand their presence in international markets.
According to him, MECD remains focused on empowering Malaysian MSMEs, particularly as the world continues to grapple with the effects of the global supply crisis arising from geopolitical conflicts and disruptions to international supply chains.
“This strategic approach is in line with MECD’s ABCD framework, particularly the ‘D’ component — Drive Market Access — which emphasises expanding market access, building international business networks and creating export opportunities for Malaysian companies,” he said.
Sim said the continued efforts have begun to bear fruit, citing the “Make Malaysian Businesses Great” business matching session held in conjunction with the Makkah Halal Forum 2026 in Saudi Arabia in February, which generated potential transactions worth RM2 billion.
On the same note, he said Bank Rakyat has also extended nearly RM300 million in financing to the seven Malaysian companies participating in the BizMatch programme to support operational expansion, capacity enhancement and the exploration of new markets.
-- BERNAMA