Matrade turns 47 offices abroad into ‘frontline hubs’ to shield exporters from trade turmoil, says Reezal Merican
KUALA LUMPUR, April 21 — Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican today reassured that Malaysia’s exporters are being supported through a comprehensive mitigation strategy as global trade disruptions intensify.
The Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) chairman said the agency is stepping up efforts to diversify into new markets and strengthen small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
“Firstly, we are leveraging our extensive global network by repurposing our 47 overseas offices into ‘frontline intelligence hubs’.
“These offices are no longer just promotional centres; they now act as our eyes and ears on the ground, capturing real-time data.
“We are also focusing on non-conflict markets to enhance access and expand into new opportunities,” Reezal Merican told a press briefing at the Matrade headquarters here today.
Beyond reports, these trade commissioners (TCs) are identifying tactical solutions by providing regular updates on how exporters can divert cargo to stable regional hubs and ports such as Salalah or Sohar, while also exploring alternative land and rail routes to bypass maritime chokepoints.
“Under our revised terms of reference (TOR), the role of the TCs has expanded to focus on new export opportunities arising from geopolitical tensions, while positioning Malaysia as an alternative sourcing destination.
“They are actively identifying emerging supply gaps and seeking alternative raw materials globally to support Malaysian industries to sustain production as some traditional supply chains are disrupted.”
Strategic market diversification, SME resilience and digital facilitation
At the same time, Matrade has also placed focus on strategic market diversification into non-conflict, non-landlocked markets with established ports and cost efficiencies.
Among the ports are Port Lekki in Nigeria (West Africa), Port Tanger Med in Morocco (North Africa), Cai Mep in Vietnam (Southeast Asia), and Mundra in India (South Asia).
“We appreciate the announcement of a RM60 million allocation by the Madani government to support our SMEs in expanding into new export markets.
“This investment will help our businesses penetrate high-potential regions such as Africa, Central Asia and Latin America, which is a key pillar of our market diversification strategy to reduce over-reliance on traditional trade corridors.
“By venturing into these emerging markets, our SMEs will be better positioned to manage rising operating and logistics costs through more competitive trade routes and alternative sourcing opportunities identified by our global network,” he added.
Reezal Merican also noted that Matrade has focused its resources most acutely on micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and SMEs, as these businesses are currently the most vulnerable, with 74.5 per cent facing significant working capital pressure.
“To complement these efforts and to provide our SMEs with the 24/7 support they need, I am proud to officially announce the Matrade Interactive Virtual Assistant, or MIVA, which is now live on the Madani Digital Trade Platform (MDTP).
“This AI-driven tool is designed to provide instant, real-time support for crisis-related enquiries, ensuring our exporters have a digital assistant to help them navigate challenges anytime, anywhere. We will remain accessible through our trade hotline and email too,” he said.
