KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 (Bernama) -- The Malaysia International Agricommodity Expo & Summit (MIACES) 2022 is set to close the curtain tonight, having attracted more than 10,000 visitors and 350 companies from 39 countries during its three-day event at MITEC, Kuala Lumpur. This international expo and summit the first organized after the country's border gates were opened.

Themed Advancing Agricommodity in Sustainable Ecosystem”, the inaugural event focused on the palm oil, rubber, timber, cocoa, pepper and kenaf sectors, which are amongst the main drivers of the economy; spurring great potential to achieve this year’s target export value of RM300 billion for Malaysia’s agricommodity sector as a whole.

In the year’s largest global marketplace event in Malaysia, MIACES 2022 also saw a significant participation from newer generations of agropreneurs from various disciplines – trailblazers in transforming, modernising, and uplifting Malaysia’s agricommodity to its true potential.

The participation of academicians from various levels in MIACES is also seen as helpful in continuing the efforts of the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC) and Higher Education Institutions in increasing the involvement of young people in the broad potential sector.

The involvement of more youths in the agricommodity sector is very encouraging. This is because, the sector, which was once considered to be just the economic activity of the last generation, is now successfully attracting young skilled entrepreneurs from various socio-economic backgrounds, including urban youths. 

The rising trend signals a progressive outlook for the country’s agricommodity sector, further contributing to its vision to transform Malaysia into an international agricommodity hub, in a market valued at an estimated USD756 billion globally.

Also the completion of the event was the signing of several memorandums of understanding (MoUs) carried out by agencies and councils under MPIC with local and international companies. Among them, the Malaysian Rubber Board MoU, together with Meditech Gloves Sdn Bhd, Levidian Nanosystems, Cranfield University and Tun Abdul Razak Research Centre in the production of a new generation rubber composite, G-Balloon or Grafena Balloon (Graphene Balloon).

Organised by the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC) and launched by Prime Minister YAB Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, MIACES 2022 was successfully positioned as a one-stop-center for agricommodity players to build connections, conduct greater-level transactions for their trade and more importantly, make their big break into international markets in a conducive business environment; contributing to the growth of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and drive the vision to position agricommodity sector as one of the biggest contibutors to the nation’s wealth.

In conjunction with MIACES 2022, MPIC also launched a campaign to disprove anti-palm oil claims from the west. "The Global Movement to Champion The Goodness of Palm Oil" or the Global Movement to Win the Benefits of Palm Oil is a multimedia and digital campaign targeted at a global audience, especially governments, agencies, stakeholders and media from the West who have adopted the anti-palm oil narrative with the aim of imposing import restrictions on the commodity.

The campaign is an effort by the Ministry with the agencies and councils under it to correct the notion of bias and false information about Malaysian palm oil, through the publication of a documentary; 12 short description video clips; booklet; posters and intensive media engagement.

In addition to conventional media such as print publications and TV stations, the campaign will also be conducted through social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, MPIC website as well as my own "Mothering" portal. We believe that online platforms can complement traditional media in terms of reach, speed and detailed targets.

I hope that this campaign will help correct the misrepresentation and defamation about Malaysian palm oil. It is time for Malaysia to uphold the truth about the country's major commodities, and I urge all Malaysians, in the spirit of Keluarga Malaysia, to stand firm in support of this effort.

YB DATUK HAJAH ZURAIDA  KAMARUDDIN
MINISTER OF PLANTATION INDUSTRIES AND COMMODITIES 
28th JULY 2022

Source: Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC)

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: 
Name: Muhammad Adam Bin Abu Bakar
Tel: 03-88878236
Email: adam@mpic.gov.my

--BERNAMA