Several leading personalities from the business communities of neighbouring Singapore and Malaysia lent their presence to the Joint Networking Night on Friday at Norea Cove Residences Sales Gallery in Phnom Penh. The networking event brought together the Singapore Business Investment Forum (SBIF) and the Malaysian Business Chamber of Cambodia (MBCC) for the very first time. The heads of each of the two organisations, Albert Tan, President of SBIF and Oknha Tan Khee Meng, President of MBCC thanked attendees in their welcome address.
Speaking exclusively to Khmer Times on the sidelines of the event, Albert Tan described the significance of the occasion as the first coming together of the members from the two associations.
“MBCC is the closest neighbour for Singapore and we are almost like brother and sister. This is an opportunity for our side to get to know MBCC members in the business community. We can expand our networking group to know who you are and what you sell because until you know that, there is zero opportunity. This is a big step to a closer relationship,” he said.
Speaking of Malaysia and Singapore’s presence in Cambodia, Tan Khee Meng praised the new leadership in the government that is transforming Cambodia. “We hope we can combine our strengths to promote Cambodia as an investment destination and counter the negative campaigns in internet. Cambodia has a lot of uniqueness as an investment destination. I see the opportunity together because we, Malaysia and Singapore have been brothers for many years,” he said.
“Now in a foreign country we should unite as we are bound by a common culture and common belief. On foreign soil in Cambodia, the focus of MBCC is very clear and also consistent to that of SBIF because what we both want to do is focus on business investment. We work to bring more foreign direct investment to Cambodia to promote the growth in the country under the new leadership,” Meng added.
The joint networking event was a resounding success, said Anthony Galliano, Group CEO of CIM Holdings. It demonstrated the continuing deep affinity and historical bonds between the two nations, evidenced by cooperation and collaboration in Cambodia between the two chambers. All of the chambers in the Kingdom have taken on the obligation to support the new government and contribute to the economic development and growth of the nation.
“It was overall a good event to get together as Singapore and Malaysia are neighbours and what better way then to have this same neighbourly feeling in Cambodia,” said Richard Liew, CEO of Bridge Bank. He added that he met some people whom he had seen at other bigger functions and gatherings but didn’t really have a chance to talk to.
He said this networking event gave him a better opportunity to connect with them again and find out about each other’s line of business here in Cambodia and how they will be able to complement each other’s business.