SME Open Day 2025: Media Prima sparks new growth for local brands
KUALA LUMPUR: Media Prima's 2025 SME Open Day has emerged as a new catalyst for small and medium enterprise (SME) owners to strengthen their brand presence and advance their marketing strategies.
Media Prima Bhd (MPB) chief operating officer Datuk Mohd Efendi Omar said the open day was part of the group's long-term commitment to supporting the growth of local brands, particularly among SMEs.
He said the programme went beyond just being an exhibition or engagement session, as it offered access to strategic partnership opportunities with MPB, including comprehensive promotional space across print, television, digital and radio platforms.
"Many SMEs have relied solely on social media, but through MPB, we provide a 360-degree marketing ecosystem to help them sustainably penetrate both domestic and international markets.
"We offer space and act as a strategic partner to help them brand their products more effectively, and this is not a one-day collaboration but the beginning of a long-term relationship," he told reporters here today.
Efendi said due to the overwhelming response from entrepreneurs nationwide, the group now plans to bring SME Open Day to Johor Baru, Penang and Sarawak.
"Many brands from outside the Klang Valley have expressed interest, so we aim to expand this initiative to other states to ensure equal opportunities for all SMEs," he said.
The second day of SME Open Day also saw a significant boost to the SME empowerment agenda, as Media Prima formed a strategic partnership with Glocal Link Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Mara Corporation.
Glocal Link general manager Badrul Hisham Baharum said the collaboration strengthened their shared mission to build an ecosystem that supported local entrepreneurs.
"Glocal Link and MPB share the same goal of assisting entrepreneurs. We are committed to developing strong local SME brands that can break into not only the Malaysian market but also global.
"We hope SME Open Day will become an annual event and be expanded nationwide to give more entrepreneurs, particularly those unable to attend in Kuala Lumpur, a chance to participate," he said.
Badrul added that, with its focus on branding, understanding the challenges faced by entrepreneurs, and providing a robust support ecosystem, SME Open Day 2025 could showcase how corporate synergy can drive greater success for local SMEs.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
PM: Embrace diversity as a strength, not a source of division
KUCHING: Racial diversity should be embraced as a strength to enhance national unity, rather than as a battleground for rivalry or a means to showcase superiority and ego, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said. He said that in many other countries, such diversity has led to racial and religious hostility, eventually burdening the nation and negatively affecting the people. "Unity within our multiracial society is increasingly essential to ensure that Malaysia remains strong amid the current uncertain global geopolitical landscape. "Never underestimate the potential problems if you are disunited. "The geopolitical conditions are so challenging and alarming. "The future is never certain. But what we can ensure is a united Malaysia," he said. Anwar was speaking at the 2025 Sarawak-level Gawai Dayak celebration dinner at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here on Sunday night, which was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg. Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak Tun Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar and his wife Toh Puan Fauziah Mohd Sanusi were the guests of honour at the event. Anwar said as prime minister, he feels proud in showcasing the country's cultural and racial diversity, especially as Malaysia assumes the Asean chairmanship this year and when receiving foreign dignitaries and corporate leaders. He said this was exemplified during a recent meeting with ConocoPhillips chairman and chief executive officer Ryan Lance, where he wore a traditional Iban outfit gifted to him earlier by Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi. "So I told him (Ryan) about Sarawak, about the beauty of the culture, that's what we have to do. "And I take great pride as a Malaysian to speak to one of the great multi-billion dollar companies, probably one of the biggest oil companies in the world and number one in the United States," he said. Meanwhile, Anwar also announced that he will meet with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto this Friday to discuss a proposal for Sarawak to be positioned as a hub for the Asean Power Grid (APG). He said Sarawak, with its strengths in hydroelectric, gas and hydrogen energy, has the potential to spearhead the APG, not only by linking to Sabah and Indonesia's Kalimantan, but also extending to the southern Philippines.
Barnama
2 hours ago
- Barnama
Embrace Diversity As A Strength, Not A Source Of Division
KUCHING, June 22 (Bernama) -- Racial diversity should be embraced as a strength to enhance national unity, rather than as a battleground for rivalry or a means to showcase superiority and ego, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said. He said that in many other countries, such diversity has led to racial and religious hostility, eventually burdening the nation and negatively affecting the people. 'Unity within our multiracial society is increasingly essential to ensure that Malaysia remains strong amid the current uncertain global geopolitical landscape. 'Never underestimate the potential problems if you are disunited. The geopolitical conditions are so challenging and alarming. The future is never certain. But what we can ensure is a united Malaysia,' he said. Anwar was speaking at the 2025 Sarawak-level Gawai Dayak celebration dinner at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here tonight, which was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg. Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak Tun Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar and his wife Toh Puan Fauziah Mohd Sanusi were the guests of honour at the event. Anwar said as prime minister, he feels proud in showcasing the country's cultural and racial diversity, especially as Malaysia assumes the ASEAN chairmanship this year and when receiving foreign dignitaries and corporate leaders. He said this was exemplified during a recent meeting with ConocoPhillips Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ryan Lance, where he wore a traditional Iban outfit gifted to him earlier by Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi. 'So I told him (Ryan) about Sarawak, about the beauty of the culture, that's what we have to do. And I take great pride as a Malaysian to speak to one of the great multi-billion dollar companies, probably one of the biggest oil companies in the world and number one in the United States,' he said.
BusinessToday
3 hours ago
- BusinessToday
Malaysian Universities Top The QS Rankings, Yet RM6.1 Billion Spent Sending Students Abroad
Sunway University saw its ranking jump 129 places to become the 410th best varsity globally By Dr. Syed Alwee Alsagoff Malaysia achieved the world's highest improvement rate in last week's QS 2026 University Rankings – 70% of our 32 institutions climbed global standings, with Universiti Malaya reaching 58th and Sunway University jumping 129 positions to 410th globally. Yet Malaysian families still spend RM6.1 billion annually sending 75,000 students overseas – equivalent to our top five universities' combined operating costs. Malaysia's best minds build foreign economies while outsourcing their children's education – a self- sabotaging cycle fueled by rankings obsession. This 'gilded cage' of global validation backfired: local tuition now exceeds Australian/Canadian household affordability, burying graduates under 1.33 years' salary debt (outpacing Singapore's 1.10 and Britain's 1.18). We've surpassed the very systems we emulate in financial burden, yet still question our own excellence. Meanwhile, the Western universities we're chasing face unprecedented crisis: the US has frozen student visa processing while universities lose billions in federal funding, the UK's Office for Students warns that 72% of English universities could face deficits by 2025-26, France imposed €900 million in education budget cuts, and Canada's elite institutions struggle with massive shortfalls. Three persistent myths drive our educational paradox, despite mounting evidence to the contrary: Myth 1: Western degrees guarantee success. The UK Higher Education Statistics Agency (2024) shows only 68% of graduates secured high-skilled jobs, while 40% work in non-graduate roles. By contrast, Malaysia's top STEM graduates earn 70-80% of US wages (PPP-adjusted, Bank Negara Malaysia 2023) without the RM400,000 overseas debt burden. The supposed 'global advantage' remains uncertain at best. Myth 2: Rankings equal quality. Our rankings obsession created this gilded cage. UPM's 'Triple Crown' MBA accreditation (held by just 1% of business schools worldwide) proves our excellence, yet we celebrate improvements in Western league tables that systematically favour centuries-old reputations over teaching excellence. Our misplaced reverence for imported credentials blinds us to homegrown excellence. Myth 3: We must undercharge to compete. UPM's Triple Crown MBA costs international students RM37,900 – just over a tenth of Melbourne's RM330,000 or Manchester's RM285,000. Malaysian universities offer equal quality at dramatically lower prices, but these discounts don't compete; they concede. Our own pricing perpetuates the very inferiority myth we seek to overcome. The global education landscape is shifting. China's R&D expenditure reached USD458.5 billion in 2023, contributing 40% of global AI research papers. India surged from USD32 billion to USD75 billion in R&D spending between 2015-2021. South Korea's formed their own University Rankings Forum. These nations stopped seeking Western validation and started defining their own excellence metrics. Malaysia must follow suit – not by copying their models, but by recognising that the improvement rate proves we already have what it takes to compete globally. Malaysia's education revolution begins with three decisive digital reforms: First, Education Malaysia must streamline its global footprint by reducing its twelve international offices to only the most essential – a move proven effective when the British Council saved £185 million after closing twenty locations. Second, we must implement competitive tuition pricing, ensuring international student fees reflect at least 50% of Western rates to balance accessibility with institutional sustainability. Third, TalentCorp's Malaysia@Heart initiative should be transformed into a student-diaspora centred networks platform that rival Germany's DAAD (which now manages €426 million in digital programs) and Australia's OS-HELP (supporting 15,000 students without physical offices). Yet money isn't the barrier – mindset is. True transformation requires more than restructuring – it demands strategic ambition. While other nations rely on physical presence, Malaysia should pioneer digital scholar-diplomacy: cultivating elite networks to secure preferential access at top global institutions, and deploying education envoys to negotiate strategic partnerships. Malaysia has the tools – now we need the nerve. We must stop treating degrees as job tickets and start demanding world-beating standards. This is our moment to stop chasing global benchmarks and start setting them. The world rewards leaders, not followers. Related
