Malaysia’s trade surplus expected to grow 15-20pc this year as exports expand, says Matrade

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 2 — The Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) expects the country’s trade surplus to grow by at least 15 to 20 per cent this year, compared with RM156.83 billion last year, said its chief executive officer Datuk Indera Abu Bakar Yusof.

He said higher exports, expansion into international markets and greater participation by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) will drive growth.

The national trade promotion agency will also place special emphasis on raising local businesses’ contribution to exports, particularly MSMEs.

“Local companies’ greater participation in export markets can bring added value to the national economy by creating job opportunities for the local community,” he told Bernama after MATRADE Academy’s Strategic Networking Ceremony at Menara Matrade here today.

MATRADE Academy is a strategic collaboration between Matrade and the public and private sectors that provides expertise, training content, and trainers to deliver 16 exporter capacity-building modules.

The programme focuses on MSMEs that have yet to venture into exports to prepare them to do so and also to help existing exporters expand their market reach.

Abu Bakar said efforts to raise local companies’ exports are part of Matrade’s long-term plans to strengthen their contribution to the country’s trade surplus.

“Matrade Academy aims to develop the capabilities of MSMEs that have yet to export, helping them prepare to enter international markets, while assisting existing exporters to expand their market reach.

“Companies that undergo the programme will subsequently be brought into overseas promotional activities to showcase their products and establish business networks in export markets,” he said.

He said exporters currently operating in three or four markets, for example, could potentially receive assistance to expand their reach to between five and 10 markets.

MSMEs contributed 39.7 per cent to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2025, but their export contribution was only 14.7 per cent, Abu Bakar said in his speech. There is considerable room for improvement in international trade, he said.

He said Matrade’s Malaysia Exporters Registry has nearly 11,300 members currently, of which about 4,200 are MSMEs already exporting abroad.

“Matrade Academy has developed 16 training modules in areas such as export readiness, market intelligence, packaging, certification, logistics, financing and digital trade to support exporter development.

“The success of the programme should be measured based on actual actions taken by companies, including those entering export markets for the first time, increasing export values and expanding their market reach,” he said.

Matrade and FedEx Malaysia also exchanged a memorandum of understanding to strengthen support for exporters, particularly in international logistics.

Abu Bakar said developing exporters requires expertise from various fields, with each party leveraging its respective strengths. Collaborations are therefore important as this would add value to Malaysian companies. — Bernama