KUALA LUMPUR: SME Corp Malaysia expects the upcoming SME Annual Showcase (Smidex) 2014 to record at least RM350 million in potential sales from business-matching sessions.

Chairman Datuk Dr Mohamed Al Amin Abdul Majid said the targeted amount during the three-day showcase beginning June 6 would exceed last year’s sales of RM322.2 million.

“Through a systematic networking, backed by a strong international presence and a positive business climate, I am confident of a continuous success of the event, with a significant increase expected in the value of negotiated sales this year,” he told reporters in a networking event in conjunction with Smidex 2014 and SME week 2014.

Mohamed Al Amin said over 400 booths would be featured, mostly from the services sector, including 66 booths under a special pavilion to feature international exhibitors.

He said international exhibitors have increased to 14 from eight last year, including the participation of British aerospace company, BAE System, which has already taken 15 booths at the showcase.

Other international companies participating in the showcase are from Brunei, India, Iran, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Morocco, Oman, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Turkey.

In conjunction with the showcase, SME Corp would also organise the annual SME Innovation Award, to be attended by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

He said the top winner would be chosen from among the winners of six award categories to be the ‘Top Most Innovative Award’ and bagged the RM1 million prize money for the award.

Themed ‘SMEs: Connecting the Dots’, the 17th edition of Smidex is aimed at reaching out to the global community, encourage participation and facilitate meaningful exchange of functional knowledge and business linkages with multinational corporations and among small and medium enterprises (SMEs). On the SME Week 2014, Mohamed Al Amin said the event would be held from June 21 to June 27 throughout the country.

He said the brainchild of the prime minister, the SME Week was dedicated to SMEs in recognition of their importance to the economy and society.

With the tagline ‘Small Businesses, Big Ideas’, 121 programmes and activities have been planned during the week nationwide in collaboration with the relevant ministries and agencies related to SME development. Also present was SME Corp chief executive officer Datuk Hafsah Hashim.
— Bernama