Sabah Trade Mission Promotes Sabah International Expo in Cebu

Twelve delegates from the Sabah Trade Mission were in Cebu last March 21, to meet with the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) officers, Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) president, Department of Tourism-7, Department of Trade and Industry, and representatives from the private sector, for a business meeting.

The team was here to promote their upcoming Sabah International Expo (SIE) 2014 this September 18-21, at the Sutera Harbour Resort in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.

More than 200 exhibitors from 20 countries will be joining in the expo. These come from the industries on manufacturing, agriculture, real estate, automotive, services & tourism, gas & oil, and green technology.

Major participants are Petronas, Fuji Xerox, HSBC, Kota Kinabalu Insdustrial Park, and Robert Bosch among many others.

“We don’t want to be just another expo…Saba International Expo is different in a sense that we are not just promoting Sabah, but fostering friendship among participants. It is also different from the last one (SIE 2012) because we don’t charge extra cost, but the same with a different structure, design…The expo is a good place for networking. We are well-represented…,” said Datuk Seri Panglima Wong Khen Thau, organizing chairman of the SIE 2014 and president of the Federation of Sabah Industries.

Products and services from countries like Australia, Austria, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, China, European Union, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, Poland, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and Vietnam, among others, will be showcased in the four-day event.

Inaugurated on 2000 and instituted once in every two years, the SIE 2014 is the eight expo from its inception. The aim of the expo is to promote Sabah to the world; to provide exhibitors an avenue to establish business contacts; and to showcase latest products and services that meet the demand of the BIMP-EAGA (Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East Asean Growth Area) markets specifically and ASEAN markets broadly.

This year’s theme is “Sabah-Hub for the Far East”, which speaks of optimism for the State of Sabah to be lifted to a higher economic status given its rich resources and strategic location within ASEAN economies. In conjunction with the event, a Business Luncheon Talk will be held on September 18, where it will be expected to gather an audience of 500 business leaders, policy makers, investors, venture capitalists, CEOs and diplomats from the region. It will feature a pre-luncheon networking session and dialogue session with the keynote speaker.

Other attendees in the coming Sabah International Expo will be representatives from the academe, researchers, manufactures, producers, professionals, and trade offices and associations. For more details on SIE 2014, visit their website at www.sie.com.my or email at enquiry@sie.com.my

Photo above: The delegates of the Sabah Trade Mission pose with the officials from the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) and the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCCI). The Malaysian team was recently here to promote the upcoming Sabah International Expo (SIE) on Sept. 18-21, 2014 at the Sutera Harbour Resort in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. (Contributed photo)