Malaysian Indian Agro Food & Innovation Seminar (MIFIS 2013)

MALAYSIAN INDIAN AGRO FOOD AND INNOVATION SEMINAR (MIFIS 2013)

A Networking & Educational Event for Community and Small Food Companies throughout the Country.

Date : 27 & 28 July 2013

Venue : Nouvelle Hotel, Mines

The two day “INNOVATION & CONCEPT TO SUCCESS” seminar is the first step in developing a food and beverage business. It is specially designed to provide Indian entrepreneurs with an understanding of 

the key issues they will need to consider when starting a food business and issues of business development in Malaysia. Participants include individuals interested in marketing a family recipe, individuals with a product idea or a food concept, producers considering adding value to an agricultural product, restaurateurs exploring the manufacturing of a house specialty and storeowners contemplating the development of private label products. 

By attending “INNOVATION & CONCEPT TO SUCCESS”, event entrepreneurs gain in one day information that could take months to research on their own. You will acquire valuable knowledge on the basics of starting a food business. The seminar helps attendees understand the challenges of starting a food business and allows them to make an informed decision as to whether developing a business is the right choice for them. “INNOVATION & CONCEPT TO SUCCESS” event provides a general overview of the many issues involved in developing a food and beverage manufacturing business. 

Seminar topics address important  questions that every entrepreneur should consider:

 Business structure – How should  you structure your business? How should you protect your business in terms of branding and IP Compliant?

 Market research and selection - What are your target market and other options? What is market 

research and how to use it? 

 Product and process development – How do you commercialize your product or recipe? What are your processing facility and other options?

 Food safety and sanitation – What are the basics of food safety? What are the microbiology concerns for food products?

 Promotional material package - How do you create your promotional message? What should your promotional package include and how to approach young demanding consumers with taste bud.

 Product introduction and sales – How do you introduce your product to the marketplace? How to you 

create sales?

 Creating commercial value – How do you create better value for your products by certification like 

HALAL, HACCP AND GMP.  Government Agencies Programs How do you benefit from government agencies business programs provided by SME Corp, Sirim, Mardi, Matrade.

TENTATIVE PROGRAM

July 27, 2013 (Saturday)

Registration (1.00- 2.00pm)

Plenary talk : 3.00-5.00pm

Tea break: 5.00pm

July 27, 2013 (Saturday) 7.30pm :

BANQUET DINNER AND OPENING  CEREMONY

July 28, 2013 (Sunday)

9.00am – 5.00pm

Keynote papers and talks

5.00pm: closing remarks

YOUR INVESTMENT:

RM350 only 

The fees covers seminar tools, souvenir programme, accomodation, full day meals and banquet dinner

Registration:

Email name, IC No, organisation, Address, Contact No & Payment to Klangchamber@gmail.com

Cek Payable to : Asia Pacific Events.

SALIENT POINTS OF HINDRAF - BN MOU

We are seeking views and comments from readers on Hindraf- BN MOU in terms on Malaysian Indian Economic development. Below are the salient points of the MOU.


A special division functioning and funded under the direct supervision of the prime minister is to be set up to implement the Hindraf memorandum of understanding (MOU), said the Hindu rights group.

Since the MOU was signed between Hindraf and the BN last Thursday, the public, especially Indians, have demanded to know the details that has led to the Hindu rights group supporting its former arch enemy.

Hindraf national adviser N Ganesan said to address this, the organisation has run full-page advertisements in Tamil newspapers to explain the so-called “new deal” with the ruling party.
.
Key points in the advertisement in last Sunday's edition of Tamil Nesan are:

1. To bring progress to displaced former estate workers

1.1. To raise the income of the former estate workers

• Those who qualify for it are all the Indian Malaysians whose family income is lower than RM3000.

• To double their family income by 2020.

• A committee of experts will conduct research and decide on various programmes, policies and allocation of finance.

• The committee of experts will submit its Indian-centred coordinated plans to the government by Oct 31, 2013.

• The government will accept in total the plans, policies and financial allocations as recommended by the committee of experts.

1.2. House ownership programme for former estate workers

• Those Indian Malaysians whose monthly family income is not above RM3,000 will qualify.

• This will be done by 2018 in areas where the displaced workers are concentrated. The department or the ministry will provide the necessary finance and allocate 100,000 national standard grade houses.

• To relocate in housing projects which are complete with facilities such as temples, burial grounds, community halls and playgrounds with the view to protecting socio-cultural aspects and preventing the growth of squatter areas in towns.

1.3. Retraining and alternative skills training for former young estate workers.

• The purpose of this programme - which requires great effort - is to bring out the hidden talents of Indian youth and change them into skilled and useful citizens for constructive action.

• Discover the hidden talents of the youths and provide them with the necessary prerequisites to undertake vocational training and have them admitted into the 176 Giat Mara centres and 78 community colleges to obtain proper skills training.

• After the training, based on their capability, they will be employed in the government and government-linked companies.
• To those who wish to start small scale businesses, support will be given through the Entrepreneurial Group Economic Fund (Tekun) loan scheme.

• For this purpose, RM20 million will be allocated annually.

1.4. To maintain the temples and the burial grounds of the former estate workers

• To protect the temples and the burial grounds that were constructed by our forefathers and which stand as testimony to our history in this country from being destroyed and removed.

• All the temples, small places of worship and burial grounds in the country shall by 2018 be on lands specifically allocated and registered for this purpose.

• A division of an experts committee shall undertake a detailed research on temples, small places of worship and burial grounds and submit its recommendations on their maintenance.

• With the permission of the prime minister and acceptance by the government, a council composed of religious scholars will propose solutions to complicated problems relating to temples and the Hindu religion. This committee shall be accountable to the prime minister and the person to be appointed as the head of the new administration under the prime minister.

2. The problem of Indians without identification documents

• To those without any birth certificates, a solution is to be found through an open, sympathetic and simple plan.

• To find solutions to the problems of people without documents by accepting statutory declarations deposed by people held in high esteem by the society.

• To change red identity cards (ICs) to blue ICs through open and systematic policies.

• To find ways and means to identify those who have legally obtained their citizenship from those who have not.

• The head of the new department under the prime minister shall within three months from the date of his appointment submit his recommendations on the matters mentioned above and obtain the approval of the prime minister.

3. The plans to increase the employment and business opportunities for the Indian Malaysians

• To allocate RM500 million in order to raise the Indian Malaysians’ equity ownership to three percent.

• To confirm that the Indians get 7.5 percent of the amount that the government allocates for small business loan schemes and micro-credit schemes.

• To confirm that the Indians get 7.5 percent of all the business licences and permits issued by the government.

• To confirm that the Indians get 7.5 percent of all the franchises granted by the government.

• To confirm that the Indians get 7.5 percent of all the contracts offered at national, state and local council levels.

• To confirm that qualified Indians get 7.5 percent of all government jobs.

• To confirm that qualified Indians get 7.5 percent of all government-linked company jobs.

• To confirm that the Indians will get, in the next five years, RM200 million from the Tekun loan scheme.

• To confirm micro-credit loan schemes for Indians in accordance with the recommendation of the expert committee.

4. To develop/increase the opportunities for education from pre-school to university

• To allocate enough funds and necessary measures for the relocation, development and construction of new buildings to make by 2020 all the Tamil schools equal to the national schools.

• To convert all the Tamil schools to fully government-aided schools.

• To set up a special fund to develop the skills of the Tamil school students.

• To confirm that 7.5 percent of places in the government universities and institutions of higher learning are for Indian students.

• To confirm that 10 percent of places in the government polytechnic colleges are for Indian students.

• To confirm that 7.5 percent of places in the present residential schools, matriculation and technical colleges are for Indian students.

• To confirm that 20 percent of the places in the proposed nine residential schools for students of all races are for Indian students.
• To confirm that 7.5 percent of scholarships from the Public Services Department (JPA), other government scholarship schemes and state scholarships are for Indian students.

• A separate RM25 million annual special education assistance scheme for Indian students through the new department that is to begin operations under the prime minister.

KICC BESTOWED "VARTAGA CHEMMAL" AWARD

Klang Indian Chamber of Commerce bestowed with it's highest award to:

1. DATO VARTAGA CHEMMAL HAJI THASLEEM MOHAMED IBRAHIM,

    EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN TMI NUSANTARA CONSULTANT (M) SDN BHD

2. DATUK VARTAGA CHEMMAL DR A. PURAVIAPPAN, 

    CHEIF EXECUTIVE OFFICER ARUNAMARI MEDICAL CENTRE, KLANG 

The award to Datuk Dr A Puraviappan was received on behalf by Klang Indian Chamber of Commerce founder President Mr K Kumar as the recipient had to extend his overseas business trip. 

Klang Indian Chamber of Commerce founded in 2005 bestow it's Honorary membership that carries "Vartaga Chemmal" title to successful businessmen that contributed significantly to the economic development in Klang, Selangor or Malaysia.

The Award was presented by Klang Indian Chamber of Commerce President Mr M Shanmugam during The Boss Meet held on 20th April 2013 at Klang Executive Club, Klang . Some 400 Businessmen from Selangor and trade delegation from Tunisia participated at the meet.

The Boss Meet was organised by Klang Indian Chamber of Commerce jointly with Selangor State Government and supported by Selangor State Investment Centre and Klang Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry. 

"TALK ONLY NO ACTION" IN INDIAN ECONOMIC EQUITY PARTICIPATION

"TALK ONLY NO ACTION" IN INDIAN ECONOMIC EQUITY PARTICIPATION

A simple survey carried out my Klang Indian Chamber of Commerce reveal that awareness among Malaysian Indian on government commitment of increasing 3% Equity is very low.

Some 64% of respondent says they unaware of Malaysian Indian 3% Economic Equity target set by Federal Government since 2001.

While only 26% of 500 total respondents answered that the 3% Equity target was set by then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in 2001.

The survey result indicates Federal Governments "TALK ONLY NO ACTION" when comes to their commitment of increasing 3% Malaysian Indian Economic Equity participation announce in the Parliament when presenting The Third Outline Prospective Plan on 3rd April 2001 by then Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Banks ‘not keen’ on loans to Indian SMEs

Banks ‘not keen’ on loans to Indian SMEs

from :The Malaysia Reserve

Indian small and medium sized entrepreneurs (SMEs) are finding it tough to tap into a RM130 million Islamic financing facility that was announced by the government nine months ago.

The main reason: Perceived reluctance of Islamic banks on loans probably due to lack of a guarantee from the authorities and perceived weak credit worthiness of the applicants. As of Jan 23, 77 out of 81 applicants for the Shariah-compliant SME financing scheme (SSFS), which is channelled through the Special Secretariat for Empowerment of Indian Entrepreneurs (SEED), were rejected. Only four entrepreneurs received financing worth RM4.4 million.

SEED director Dr AT Kumararajah said the 13 Islamic banks entrusted to disburse the RM130 million special Indian business facilitation fund announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Razak in June 2012, were “not interested” to lend the money to the community as the financial institutions were only looking at the applicants from a “business case” view.

“It's not a special fund for the Indians. The banks are not keen to lend money to Indian entrepreneurs as the money is solely under their discretion. There is no government guarantee to that money,” he told The Malaysian Reserve.

SEED, a special secretariat, which reports directly to Minister in Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri G Palanivel, who is also MIC president, is meant to assist the Indian business community to get access to bank loans.

On June 9, 2012, Najib announced various forms of loans worth RM180 million for the Indian community, of which RM130 million was supposed to be channelled through the SSFS, with each of the participating Islamic banks to providing RM10 million worth of loans. This is seen as one of the plans by the government to assist the Indian community.

Aside from the Islamic banks, Malaysian Industrial Development Finance (MIDF) was to provide RM10 million in SME soft loans — RM5 million under the enrichment and enhancement programme meant for business start-ups and microenterprises and RM30 million through the microfinance facility provider under the so-called Tekun Nasional scheme.

Islamic banks that were approached by The Malaysian Reserve declined to comment on the issue.

Dr Kumararajah said 95% of the applications, which went through normal credit evaluation criteria, was at a risk of rejection at the final evaluation process under the scheme.

While stressing that there is no “special treatment” for business proposals which passed through SEED, he said the only incentive in the SSFS scheme was the 2% interest rebate given by the government to the participating banks for their cost of financing. 

“We are looking for a redesigned scheme that would enable the Indian businesses being evaluated on a different basis than a standard evaluation process.

“We understand that there are a lot more that need to be restructured in order for the Indian business community to get preferential access, in terms of funding and that is what we (SEED) are doing now,” he said.

In a step to address these issues, Dr Kumararajah said SEED has prepared a comprehensive memorandum which was submitted by Palanivel to Najib, who is also the finance minister, in a Cabinet meeting last month.

In the memorandum, Dr Kumararajah said SEED has proposed to the government to provide RM130 million directly to the Indian business community which can be managed by designated institutions such as SME Corp.

SEED also wants to work with Bank Negara Malaysia to monitor from “root to tip” the performance of the banks and both the approved and rejected applications by the joint cooperation proposed under the SSFS scheme.

If the above suggestion is not taken into consideration, he said SEED will then propose to the government to come up with a guarantee scheme mechanism whereby the banks still provide the funds, with the guarantee from the government.

PRESS RELEASE : KICC SUPPORTS HINDRAF's ECONOMIC UPLIFTMENT REQUEST

Klang Indian Chamber of Commerce [KICC] strongly support Hindraf's call for political parties to endorse it's blueprint on upliftment of Indian community.  The request for land allocation for 20,000 Indian farmers for next 5 years could pave to contribute to the economic development of the community. If the system managed properly the nations demand for meat and milk can be met as well as contribution from agricultural activities undertaken by the farmers.

Since , 2001 the government has been playing hide and seek games on their commitment  to increase Indian Economic Equity to 3% without any concrete studies or workable master plan to achieve it despite been 12 years since first announced in parliament by then Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamed.

In order to meet the targeted 3% Economic Equity, KICC calculated that each and every Malaysian Indian  must able to invest RM80,000 in shares or unit trust. Which means, a family of 5 must able to save some RM400,000 per family above their normal savings and daily expenses. Until unless there is a concrete and workable master plan such as  Hindraf's request for lands for productive agricultural activities.

KICC President M Shanmugan, Vice President P.Peramasivam, Executive Secretary S. Arikrishnan and it's Executive Committee Member M. Puspanathan visited Hindraf Chairman P Waythamoorthy whom on hunger strike for past 11 days at Rawang. During, the visit KICC pledged cooperation to P Waythamoorthy while prayed for his well being.

PRESS MEET 27/2/2013

PRESS MEET

Klang Indian Chamber of Commerce invites all Media personnel to our PRESS MEET as details below :

Date : 27 February 2013
Time : 4.00 pm
Venue : Klang Indian Chamber of Commerce c/o SDE Resources (M) Sdn Bhd
            Lot 2178, Jalan Kebun , Batu 6, Kampung Jawa, 42450 Klang
VIP : Y.B. S. Manikavasagam, Kapar MP
Contact: Mr S. Arikrishnan @ 0166685405

@KlangChamber Proposes RM500mil Special Fund & 10% Business Opportunities for Indian Businesses

Klang Indian Chamber of Commerce (@Klangchamber) today proposed a special task force to be setup immediately by Federal Government to address long overdue promises in increasing Indian Equity participation by 3%.  A delegation led by @klangchamber President Mr M Shanmugam submitted a memorandum to YB Senator Datuk Maglin DCruz, Deputy Minister of Information , Communication and Culture whom also representing Klang Community at the Federal Cabinet.

Below  are  some salient point of the memorandum :

a)    To provide at least 10% business opportunities to Malaysian Indian Companies in areas that may be of mutually benefit.

b)    Requesting Federal Government to form an Economic Taskforce  (ET) under Prime Menteri Department headed by Ministry of Finance . The ET is to ensure opportunities are given to qualified Indian businesses by all level government authorities including Government link companies [GLC] and ways to increase Indian Economic Equity to 3% by 2020.

c)    Government of Malaysia to allocate some RM500million Special Fund [5KSF] for Malaysian Indian Businesses (not ordinary commercial bank loans or Tekun) through SME Bank managed by specially appointed Indian Director and a Department. 

d)    Special Secretariat for Empowerment of Indian Entrepreneurs [SEED] are to be transformed into full fledge Department with annual budget with more empowerment include monitoring GLCs , Government authorities and Banks.

e)    Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Berhad (PUNB), Institut Keusahawan Negara and Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) to provide opportunities to all Malaysia regardless of race, otherwise change their name to allow formation another entity for non bumiputras.

f)     Ministry of Information Communications & Culture to work with Klang Indian Chamber of Commerce and other NGOs in organizing Annual Klang Deepavali carnival.

The Deputy Minister has agreed to look into formation of ET and arrange a meeting with concern stakeholders soon to address economic issues brought by @klangchamber.  

Also present during the meeting was Mr P Peramasivam, Vice President, Mr S. Arikrishnan Executive Secretary and Mr M Puspanathan , Chairman of Empowering Young Entrepreneur Committee (E.Y.E) of Klang Indian Chamber of Commerce.

Business Transformation Training

Business Transformation Training 

24Feb2013, Auditorium ELibrary Jln Tengku Kelana Klang, 8.30am-5.00pm

Fee : RM30 only . Suitable for Startup, Homebase Biz and SMEs

1. Ways to Increase Your Income 2. Your Business Your Idea 

3. Practical Approach

4. Mentoring Until You Success 

For Medium and Small Business Owners and Those Seeking to Start Business

NOT MLM & NOT INSURANCE or DIRECT SELLING 

Certificate Provided

Qualified Trainers

Purely Training and Guidance

Limited Place, First Come First Serve

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