Enhancing Penang-Medan business ties

Mohd Rashid (second left) shaking hands with Virgo after the press conference to announce the annual Medan Fair. Joining them are (from left) Mohd Rashid’s personal assistant Enson Neoh, Machdaniar and Faudzi.

PENANG will be organising a business matching programme for entrepreneurs from Penang and North Sumatera in conjunction with the annual Medan Fair in Indonesia.

Organised by the Penang Development Corporation (PDC), the programme will be held on Friday at Hotel Emerald Garden International in Medan.

Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon said entrepreneurs from Penang and North Sumatera would get to know each other and learn about their businesses during the briefing.

He said the event is in line with the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Economic Growth Triangle (IMT-GT).

“Some 150 people will be joining in the programme,” he told a press conference at Komtar on Monday.

The programme is a part of the annual Medan Fair, popularly known as the Pekan Raya Sumatera Utara, which will be held at the Pekan Raya Complex, Tapian Daya in Medan from Friday to April 16.

Mohd Rashid said 13 companies from Penang would participate in the event to create close cooperation between the two states.

“They would be sent to Medan in stages and among the products to be exhibited are food and beverages, cosmetics, women’s accessories and health products.

“The whole event will focus on tourism and Islamic education sectors,” he added.

Medan City Government representative officer Eddy Virgo requested the state government to look into illegal agents dealing with Indonesian visitors seeking treatment in Penang.

“We hope the matter can be addressed and the state government can look into the unreasonably high medical bills,” he said.

Also present were Consul of Economic Affairs of the Indonesian Consul of Consular Affairs in Penang Machdaniar Nisfah and IMT-GT chairman Datuk Faudzi Naim Noh.