KOTA KINABALU: The core value of a chamber of commerce lies not merely in organising networking and social activities, but more importantly in leveraging the platforms and networks it builds to help members expand their connections, understand markets, identify potential partners and explore more business opportunities.
Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce (MCCC) Sabah President Datuk Dexter Lau said this when delivering his speech at the branch’s Mid-Autumn Family Banquet recently.
He said the branch would soon organise a business exchange and industrial visit to Guangzhou, China, featuring corporate visits, exchanges with government departments and relevant authorities, as well as business matching sessions, with support from various parties.
He said the Guangzhou trip, chaired by Vice President Louis Su as the organising chairman, would go beyond corporate visits, as its more important objective was to encourage members to venture beyond Sabah, gain first-hand understanding of the local industrial development and business environment, and engage with government representatives, businesses and relevant organisations to explore potential future collaborations.
Datuk Dexter said the Guangzhou programme had also received support from the Chinese and Sabah governments as well as relevant parties, with Sabah ministers, senior government officials and entrepreneurs from various sectors expected to participate, creating more opportunities for members to engage in exchanges and business matching.
He encouraged members to participate actively and leverage the chamber’s platform to venture into international markets while broadening their business networks and global perspectives.
He said that following the Guangzhou programme, he also planned to organise a delegation of about 10 people to Xiamen, under the coordination, liaison and arrangements by WEC Council Member Liu Li Rong, to pay a visit to local government authorities and conduct in-depth government-business exchanges.
The delegation would seek to understand Xiamen’s development plans, industrial landscape and investment environment, while exploring potential cooperation in business, industry and enterprise exchanges.
“This Xiamen visit will focus on small-scale and targeted engagements, allowing us to communicate more effectively with the local government and relevant authorities, while creating more connections and cooperation opportunities for our members who may wish to explore the Xiamen and Fujian markets in the future,” he said.
Datuk Dexter said the branch would continue to deepen its exchanges with China while exploring markets including Cambodia and Bangladesh to further expand its international business network.
As businesses become increasingly globalised, he said, Sabah businesses should also take the initiative to venture abroad, understand the industrial and business environments of different countries, and identify opportunities suited to their own development.
“We hope our members can use the chamber’s platform to venture out, gain first-hand understanding of different markets, and meet more businesses and potential partners, creating opportunities for future business expansion.”
He stressed that the value of being a chamber member went beyond attending dinners or activities, as the platform should enable members to meet more people, access new markets and gain opportunities for business growth.
“If members can gain new friends, resources, markets and business opportunities through this platform, that is what we consider the most important value.”
Meanwhile, Datuk Dexter also emphasised the branch’s commitment to nurturing the next generation.
He said the branch had in recent years actively encouraged members’ children and grandchildren to participate in activities, allowing them to gain early exposure to business concepts, teamwork and practical learning, while extending the values established by the chamber to the next generation.
He also thanked NGEO Chairperson Charlene Cheah, Deputy Chairperson Katryn Haw and Treasurer Aerith Lee for putting considerable thought and effort into planning and organising activities that benefit members and the next generation, allowing member families to benefit from them.
He revealed that the branch would organise the “Bob The Builder” activity on October 24, open to members’ children and grandchildren aged four to 12/13, where participants will gain hands-on exposure to construction and related work.
Datuk Dexter said MCCC Sabah would continue to focus on member growth, business expansion, international engagement and next-generation development, while enhancing the content and quality of its activities and strengthening ties with domestic and international organisations, so that the chamber platform could create tangible value for members.
Meanwhile, he said the branch was also placing strong emphasis on next year’s annual ball, with preparations already underway. The organising committee, chaired by WEC Deputy Treasurer Fannie Chai, had begun holding meetings to plan and prepare for next year’s event.
The Mid-Autumn Family Banquet, which was actively driven and jointly organised by Director of Public Relations Edmund Goh and Platinum Club Convenor Benny Hon, brought together council members, members and guests to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival and further strengthen fellowship and connections among members.
Among those in attendance were Honorary President Datuk Lau Kok Sing, Honorary Advisor Dato’ George Lim Shu Chung and spouse, President Datuk Dexter Lau, as well as Vice Presidents Jacky Chin and Louis Su; Secretary Lam Lee Chin, Deputy Director of Commercial Affairs Dr. Brian Wong, Director of Public Relations Edmund Goh and Council Member Benny Hon.
Representing WEC were Deputy Treasurer Fannie Chai and Council Members Angelina Zhang, Lanice Ng, Liu Li Rong, Joanna Ling and Chan Kay Yi. NGEO was represented by Chairperson Charlene Cheah and Treasurer Aerith Lee, while Koperasi was represented by Directors Kent Yong and Ronnie Chong, together with members Datuk Foo Ngee Kee, Datuk Haji Abdul Kadir bin M.E. Sikkandar and Acting Editor-in-Chief of See Hua Daily News, Jamsreneen bin Jamaran, among others.
