Malaysian, Uzbek companies must forge new collaborations – Tengku Zafrul
05 Feb 2025
All Uzbek and Malaysian companies are urged to forge new collaborations to reap the synergistic opportunities offered by both countries, said Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
He said earlier today that business-to-business (B2B) and government-to-business (G2B) sessions facilitated discussions on key industries, paving the way for new strategic partnerships.
“There were also several memorandum of understanding (MoUs) signed between our entities for promising projects, including in electronics and semiconductors, automotive industry, hydropower and solar energy, chemical industry, food industry and pharmaceuticals, that will facilitate the development and growth of both our economies and industries,” he said at the Malaysia-Uzbekistan Business Forum here today.
Also present at the event were Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
Tengku Zafrul highlighted that Malaysia, as a dynamic hub for manufacturing and services, boasts excellent infrastructure, strong connectivity, and a highly skilled talent pool across various fields.
He also expressed satisfaction with the participation of representatives from Malaysia’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in today’s forum, acknowledging their crucial role as the backbone of the Malaysian economy.
Over the years, Malaysian SMEs have strengthened their capabilities, allowing them to become increasingly integrated into global supply chains, he said.
“They offer a wide range of products and services, spanning manufacturing, technology, agriculture, and logistics while showcasing innovation, resilience and adaptability.
“The highly competitive and capable Malaysian SMEs will make reliable partners for Uzbekistan companies in enhancing their own supply chain operations, whether for materials sourcing or expanding distribution networks in the region,” he said.
Meanwhile, Tengku Zafrul is encouraged by the strong interest from Uzbekistan in fostering closer ties with Malaysia across multiple sectors, primarily to learn from Malaysian experience and expertise and to build partnerships for industrial development.
“As one of the youngest and fastest growing countries in the world, with a gross domestic product growth rate of between 5.5 and 5.8 per cent forecast for the next three years, and a series of comprehensive reforms aimed at modernising the economy and improving governance, Uzbekistan’s economy is on a positive trajectory and is poised to maintain a robust expansion,” he added.
Source: Bernama
