Going all out to promote Terengganu

JOHOR BARU: Terengganu will hold more events locally and overseas this year as part of its on-going effort to promote the state to visitors.

The upcoming events will be held in Miri in March and Shah Alam in September. In March it will take place in Cambodia and in Myanmar and Vietnam in May and September. The entourage to Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam is part of the business delegation with the International Trade and Industry Ministry.

Showing his skill: Mohamed Awang (centre) trying his hand at batik waxing at the opening of the Terengganu Showcase 2012 at Plaza Angsana in Johor Baru. Looking on is Terengganu Entrepreneur Development Foundation chief executive officer Azmi Razik (left).

“The event is a good platform for our entrepreneurs to further expand their market reach beyond the state,’’ said Terengganu executive councillor Rural Development, Entrepreneur and Cooperative Datuk Mohamed Awang Tera. He said this at the opening of the Terengganu Showcase 2012 at Plaza Angsana shopping complex here, recently.

Among those present at the opening were the Perbadanan Usahawan Johor Sdn Bhd (PUJ) general manager Ashari Kasnan and Terengganu Entrepreneur Development Foundation (YPUT) chief executive officer Azmi Razik. The four-day event featured 56 booths offering textile, food, beverages, handicraft, beauty products and holiday packages from the east coast state. A similar event was held in 2004, 2006 and 2009 at the same venue and at Johor Baru City Square shopping mall in 2008 jointly organised by the Terengganu government and YPUT.

The organisers decided to hold this year’s showcase at Plaza Angsana as the shopping complex was popular among Johoreans and Singaporeans. “Johor Baru is always on our radar for the showcase due to the strong purchasing power in the city and its close proximity with Singapore,’’ said Mohamed.

Skillful: Zalilah Hussein of Koperasi Industri Kampung Paka Bhd weaving the tudung saji (food cover) made from pandan leaves.

Similarly, he said YPUT planned to expand its 24-hour convenience stores – T’Shoppe in Johor this year and hoped to work closely with PUJ to identify individuals or organisations interested to open the stores. He said the convenience store concept was introduced in Terengganu in 2009 and today, there were 20 outlets in Terengganu, four in Kedah and one each in Malacca and Selangor.

-thestar online.