MATRADE Encourages Sabah Entrepreneurs To Leverage MIHAS INSP To Penetrate Global Markets
By Rohana Nasrah
KOTA KINABALU, Aug 7 (Bernama) -- The Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) is encouraging Sabah entrepreneurs to participate in the Malaysia International Halal Exhibition (MIHAS) 2026 and register for the International Sourcing Programme (INSP) organised in conjunction with the exhibition.
MATRADE deputy chief executive officer (exporters development) Mansor Shah Wahid said this year's INSP will be organised in a hybrid format with a virtual component that will leverage the MADANI Digital Trade (MDT) platform which was launched in March last year.
“This platform is open to all MATRADE members. Therefore, we encourage more Sabah entrepreneurs to register as members to use this facility and thus gain various benefits including business matching, digital marketplace, market intelligence, grant applications and market access.
“Entrepreneurs can also participate in business matching sessions with potential international buyers through INSP organised in conjunction with MIHAS by registering to join INSP virtually through the MDT platform,” he told Bernama.
To date, more than 5,500 companies from various sectors including food and beverage, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and logistics have registered on the platform.
Mansor said organising INSP virtually through the MDT platform was able to open up a wider market space for Sabah entrepreneurs to gain direct access to international buyers. He said the approach was believed to be a paradigm shift for the state's micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to explore, and subsequently expand access to export markets through a platform that was easier, more efficient and more effective.
Organising the INSP virtually through the platform also enables local entrepreneurs to view a list of potential buyers and identify suitable business partners to initiate online business matching before the physical INSP is scheduled to take place on Sept 23, he added. “Transactions such as pre-orders can be arranged in advance, and when the MIHAS exhibition takes place, participants only need to meet the buyers in person to review product samples, packaging and agree on pricing,” he said.
Mansor said Sabah has its own unique strengths through products derived from agricultural produce, seafood and value-added food products such as Tambunan ginger, tuhau floss and edible bird’s nests, as consumer trends increasingly favour organic, healthy and sustainable products.
As such, he said local entrepreneurs in the state should leverage platforms such as MIHAS to ensure the uniqueness of their products is promoted to international buyers and global markets, thereby boosting export potential and expanding business networks. He said this is an opportunity that Sabah entrepreneurs should seize to remain competitive globally through participation in MIHAS.
MATRADE has proactively brought together premium buyers, importers and international distributors from across various continents under one roof at MIHAS to facilitate export transactions between local entrepreneurs and overseas companies.
“At this year’s MIHAS, MATRADE will bring in 300 buyers, including 50 premium buyers,” Mansor said, adding that INSP enables Sabah entrepreneurs to build business networks directly without having to incur the high costs of participating in overseas trade missions. Seven companies from Sabah participated in the INSP programme and generated total sales exceeding RM17 million at last year’s MIHAS.
This year’s INSP MIHAS focuses on opening new markets such as Algeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kazakhstan, Mali, Ghana, Norway, Costa Rica and Turkmenistan, while also expanding its reach into Africa, Central Asia and Latin America.
The move demonstrates that MIHAS is not only focused on traditional markets but is also strengthening halal trade opportunities in emerging markets.
Elaborating further, Mansor said the 22nd edition of MIHAS, themed “Building Trust, Driving Resilience”, is scheduled to be held from Sept 23 to 26, 2026, at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) in Kuala Lumpur. MIHAS will also feature the “Women in Export” initiative to empower women-owned and women-led businesses to expand their presence in the global halal economy.
In addition, the “Hosted Buyer Programme” will continue to facilitate international companies in establishing Malaysia as a distribution hub for the ASEAN region while providing opportunities to meet local importers.
MIHAS is more than just a halal trade exhibition; it also serves as a strategic platform for expanding halal businesses globally, having generated more than RM30 billion in export sales to date. Since its inception in 2004, the exhibition has attracted more than 10,000 halal industry players from Malaysia and abroad, as well as over 500,000 trade visitors.
-- BERNAMA