KLANG: GM Klang Wholesale City (GM Klang), in collaboration with the Sabah Industrial Development and Research Department, on Friday launched the Authentic Sabah Mart which brings together more than 300 products of small and medium industry (SMI) entrepreneurs from the State.
GM Klang Managing Director Datuk Lim Seng Kok said the initiative is its first step towards becoming a one-stop centre to promote local products and regional brands under one roof.
More interestingly, he said the first physical hub that sells Sabah SMI products in peninsular Malaysia allows visitors to get the products at the same price sold in the state.
“We can see positive development because since operating last December, suppliers of Sabah products continued to increase their product stocks due to popular demand.
“Therefore, we hope that 2023 will be the opening year for more stores like this so that we can together promote local products to outside visitors,” he told reporters after launching the Authentic Sabah Mart, here.
Also present was Sabah Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Phoong Jin Zhe.
Lim added that GM Klang always welcomes cooperation from agencies and states to boost local SMIs by selling their products at the wholesale mall.
Meanwhile, Phoong said not many SMI products from Sabah are sold in peninsular Malaysia because the shipping costs are quite expensive.
Therefore, he said, the opening of the sales hub allows visitors, especially locals and tourists, to buy food products from Sabah, in addition to stimulating the industry in the State and Malaysia in general.
“We chose Selangor, especially GM Klang which is the largest wholesale centre in Malaysia to market Sabah SMI products because of its location close to the port and Kuala Lumpur.
“This is just a start, therefore we need more programmes to help more Sabah entrepreneurs to improve the quality of products in terms of product design and packaging so that they will be more competitive,” he added.
