KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 — Britain aims to deepen business ties with Malaysian companies in areas such as retail, as well as, food and beverages (F&B), says British Minister without Portfolio Grant Shapps.

“The economic transformation success which Malaysia has had up until now is sufficient evidence in anybody’s language of the potential value of this market to UK companies,” he said.

Britain has much to offer Malaysia as its designers export two-thirds of their output while the British footwear companies export 90 per cent of their production around the world. 

“The UK retail sector generates five per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product and employs three million people,” Shapps said when opening the GREAT Week seminar here today.

The GREAT Week is a networking seminar organised by the UK Trade and Investment to expose 18 British companies to business opportunities available in Malaysia.

British F&B brands is also going strong by increasing their exports by 41 per cent to more than nine billion pounds since 2008, he added.  Another field that the two countries can tap is the expertise in developing attractions and cultural projects such as museums, casinos, theme parks, aquaria and science centres.

“The UK has extensive capability to design, deliver and operate leading visitor attractions overseas, particularly in emerging markets beginning to show keen interest in this area,” he said.

One such instance is the UK-Malaysia collaboration in Legoland theme park in Johor, he added.

“This is just one example of the UK’s internationally renowned museums and visitor attractions that are being exported abroad for all to enjoy,” he said. — Bernama