AM Edition: Top 10 Politics Articles on LiveNews.co.nz for October 4, 2026 – Full Text

Transforming QS Practice in a New Era: Integrating Digital Construction, Collaborative Contracting and Payment Security

HONG KONG, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 3 October 2026 – The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors (HKIS) Quantity Surveying Division hosted the HKIS Quantity Surveying Division Conference 2026 (the Conference) today at the CIC-Zero Carbon Park.

This year’s theme, “Transforming QS Practice in a New Era: Integrating Digital Construction, Collaborative Contracting and Payment Security”, reflects the evolving role of Quantity Surveyors during a time of economic restructuring.

The Conference brought together around 200 participants both in person and online, including government officials, industry leaders, professionals, academics, and young practitioners.

Mr LAU Chun Kit, Ricky, JP, Permanent Secretary for Development (Works) for Development Bureau of the HKSAR Government, attended as the Guest of Honour and delivered a keynote speech.

Quantity Surveyors are trained professionals with expert knowledge of construction costs and contracts who play a crucial role throughout the project development cycle, from investment feasibility studies and procurement strategy to commercial governance, contract administration, and dispute management. The seminar aims to explore how, amidst the ever-changing landscape of the digital revolution and the implementation of new legislation, quantity surveyors can evolve from their traditional roles in contract and cost management into enablers who drive successful value creation in construction projects.

Mr. LAU Chun Kit, Ricky, JP, Permanent Secretary for Development (Works), Development Bureau, said: “The theme of this year’s conference is both timely and visionary. The Conference serves as a strategic platform for surveying practitioners and professionals to exchange insights, explore best practices, and formulate a collective vision for the future of the surveying profession. The insights and best practices generated will not only contribute in advancing the role of surveying profession in the new era, but also reinforcing Hong Kong’s position as a leader in construction excellence.”

The conference featured 20 distinguished speakers from Hong Kong Government bureaux and departments, the private sector, academia, professional institutions, and law firms to share their insights and best practices in the quantity surveying field. Through thought-provoking discussions, the event not only enhanced participants’ technical knowledge but also catalyzed long-term cross-sector collaboration, empowering the industry to continuously deliver highly efficient and resilient built assets in the future.”

Sr WAN Wai Ming, Tony, President of the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors, noted in his welcome speech, “As the construction landscape undergoes profound shifts, quantity surveyors are evolving from traditional cost guardians into strategic value architects. Under this year’s theme, we gather to explore emerging challenges, tackle critical issues, and seize new opportunities. Together, we redefine our professional identity, share actionable insights, and shape a forward-looking roadmap for the quantity surveying industry in Hong Kong.”

Sr TING Yuen Chun, Eric, Chairman of the HKIS Quantity Surveying Division, acknowledged that the built environment is facing increasingly complex social and economic pressures. He emphasised that these challenges serve as an important reminder that, while technology is a vital enabler of progress, built-environment professionals must continue to apply their expertise and professional judgement, while strengthening collaboration across disciplines, to navigate change and deliver sustainable value to society.

Sr WONG Kin Yan, Winnie, Organising Committee Chair of the Conference stated in her closing remarks, “Developments in Collaborative Contracting, Digital Construction, and Payment Security present an opportunity for our profession to evolve beyond traditional cost management.

Today’s quantity surveyors are increasingly called upon to serve as trusted advisers, driving collaboration, leading digital transformation, and championing transparency and fairness across the entire project lifecycle. By embracing these changes, we can continue to play a pivotal role in delivering sustainable, resilient and high-performing built assets for our community.”

List of Speakers (in order of presentation delivery)

Keynote Speech by Guest of Honour

1. Mr LAU Chun Kit, Ricky, JP, Permanent Secretary for Development (Works), Development Bureau, HKSARG

Session 1: Collaborative Contracting

1. Mr LEUNG Lap Ki, Francis, Team Leader (Trade & Procurement), Development Bureau, HKSARG
2. Sr CHOI Wing Chung, Hayman, Project Strategy and Delivery Leader (Asia), Mott MacDonald Hong Kong Limited
3. Ir LEUNG Cheuk Lun, NEC Strategic Advisor, Civil Engineering and Development Department, HKSARG
4. Ir WANG Yan Hua, Chairman and Managing Director, China Road and Bridge Corporation (Hong Kong)
5. Sr Yau Wan Fong, Deputy Director, WT Partnership (HK) Limited

Session 2: Digital Construction

1. Mr WU Jin Ying, Technical Officer, Glodon (Hong Kong) Software Limited
2. Mr Elvis LI, CEO, isBIM Limited
3. Ir NG Chun Keung, CEO, dRoW Limited
4. Mr Put HUI, Senior Digital Transformation Lead, Innovative Technology, Gammon Construction Limited
5. Mr Ronald CHAN, Head of Sustainability for APAC, Currie & Brown
6. Sr Sunny CHOI, Chairman of Digitalisation Sub-committee, Quantity Surveying Division, The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors; Past Chairman of Quantity Surveying Division, The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors (2021-2023)
7. Sr Dr Paul HO, Past Chairman of Quantity Surveying Division, The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors (2005-2006)

Session 3: Payment Security

1. Sr Tommy CHAN, Executive Director, Arcadis Hong Kong Limited
2. Cr Sr Ir ZA Wai Gin, Tony, Executive Director, Hip Hing Construction Co., Ltd.
3. Sr Hinson CHEUNG, Partner, Pinsent Masons
4. Sr Terry CHAK, Director of North Asia Region, Rider Levett Bucknall Limited
5. Sr TT CHEUNG, BBS, JP, Past President, The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors
6. Sr CHONG Lui Chuen, Executive Committee Member, CSHK Professional Committee
7. Mr Eric CHUNG, Barrister-at-Law, Pacific Chambers
8. Sr Prof LEUNG Hing Fung, Professor and Head, Department of Law and Business, Hong Kong Shue Yan University; Adjunct Professor, Department of Real Estate and Construction, University of Hong Kong; Barrister-at-law, Arbitrator and Mediator

List of speakers and topics are downloadable here

Conference booklet is downloadable here

High-resolution event photos are downloadable here

Photo Caption:

https://www.hkis.org.hk/en/index.html
https://www.facebook.com/hkisofficial
Wechat: HKIS-Official
https://www.instagram.com/hkis.surveyors/
https://www.youtube.com/@hkisofficial

Hashtag: #surveyor #QS #quantitysurveying

About the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors

Power demand drives investment in generation and grids

According to Vietnam Electricity (EVN), electricity generation and imports across the national system reached 171.54 billion kWh in the first six months of 2026, up 9.85% year on year, while peak system load hit a record high of 57,537 MW. This growth is adding pressure on the pace of investment in generation and grids.

Industry and construction remain the largest electricity consumers, meaning that a stable power supply has a direct bearing on production and on the competitiveness of the economy.

By 2030, the revised National Power Development Plan VIII (PDP8) targets commercial electricity output of around 500.4–557.8 billion kWh and total generating capacity of 183,291–236,363 MW. Over the same period, investment needs are estimated at around US$118.2 billion for power generation and around US$18.1 billion for the transmission grid. This scale of investment is increasing demand for equipment and engineering services across design, installation, operation and maintenance.

The revised PDP8 also targets 10,000–16,300 MW of battery storage by 2030, several times the 300 MW target set in the original PDP8. This comes with a requirement for utility-scale solar plants to incorporate battery storage equivalent to at least 10% of their capacity, with two hours of storage duration. The change is already driving demand for power conversion systems, energy management, control, safety and integration services.

On the grid side, the revised PDP8 also sets out new construction of 12,944 km of 500 kV lines and 15,307 km of 220 kV lines over the 2025–2030 period. This leaves considerable room for growth in the market for substation equipment, protection and control systems, engineering design, construction, digitalised operation and maintenance.

Grid investment is also accelerating. In the first seven months of this year, EVN and its units started construction on 98 projects and energised 100 grid projects at voltages from 110 kV to 500 kV. The ability to meet technical standards, delivery schedules and operational requirements has therefore become a key criterion for suppliers.

At the same time, domestic energy security remains closely exposed to volatility in international supply chains. The International Energy Agency (IEA) notes that around 27% of Asia’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports depend on shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz – a chokepoint carrying significant geopolitical risk. Proactively diversifying supply, scaling up renewables, expanding storage and upgrading the grid are therefore central to strengthening the resilience of Vietnam’s energy system.

In addition, the target of establishing two inter-regional renewable energy industry and service centres by 2030 requires the combined effort of the entire ecosystem. Investors’ need to identify the right technologies and reliable supply partners is therefore more pressing than ever.

At the strategic level, Politburo Resolution No. 70-NQ/TW identifies ensuring national energy security as a key foundation for the country’s development and underlines the need to step up international cooperation and energy connectivity within ASEAN. This direction gives Vietnam further grounds to expand domestic supply capacity while progressively strengthening its role in the regional energy ecosystem.

GEEC 2027: Where investment demand meets the global supply chain

To connect domestic investment capital with global supply chains, Global Energy Exhibition & Congress Vietnam (GEEC) has been launched as a landmark meeting point. The event is organised by Vietnam Exhibition Fair Centre Joint Stock Company (VEFAC, the operator of VEC) in partnership with dmg events (Dubai), a member of the UK-based Daily Mail & General Trust group, and is scheduled to take place at VEC from 24 to 26 February 2027.

The foundations for the event were laid in November 2025, when VEC and dmg events signed a strategic cooperation memorandum of understanding at ADIPEC in Abu Dhabi, one of the world’s most influential energy events. GEEC is the first initiative under the partnership and is also seen as the starting point of a long-term strategy to integrate Vietnam more deeply into the international energy network.

ADIPEC is regarded as the meeting place for the entire global energy ecosystem: its 2025 edition drew more than 239,000 attendees from 172 countries, 2,250 companies and over 1,800 speakers. Bringing that experience to Vietnam, GEEC aims to become the gateway for the international energy community to access the Vietnamese market, and an essential destination for investors and technology and equipment providers seeking to take part in the country’s new energy investment cycle.

With a target footprint of up to 80,000 m², GEEC 2027 is expected to bring together more than 800 exhibitors and attract over 30,000 visitors, more than 450 speakers and 1,000 senior delegates from Vietnam and abroad.

Unlike conventional trade shows, GEEC covers the full energy value chain, from traditional energy sources to renewables, new technologies and energy transition solutions. It also combines the exhibition with conferences, business matchmaking and technical exchange. Investors can explore technologies and assess suppliers, while exhibitors can meet partners with investment, procurement or project delivery needs.

A defining feature of GEEC 2027 is its ability to bring together Vietnam’s entire energy ecosystem. The event is expected to feature the country’s leading energy groups and corporations, alongside major companies in power, oil and gas, LNG, coal and minerals, renewables, transmission, energy logistics and technology. The simultaneous presence of the core enterprises responsible for safeguarding national energy security will provide a comprehensive picture of Vietnam’s energy ecosystem in a single venue.

Internationally, through dmg events’ portfolio of more than 115 events, GEEC not only connects the domestic market but also opens opportunities for Vietnamese companies to engage directly with leading energy corporations, project developers, investment funds and technology providers from the Middle East, Europe, North America and Asia.

Timing also makes GEEC 2027 an opportunity not to be missed. The 2026–2030 period is when many LNG-to-power, transmission, renewable energy, energy storage and related infrastructure projects move into implementation at the same time.

At a working session on 28 July 2026, Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc highlighted the significance of the event and welcomed the partnership between VEFAC and dmg events in organising international exhibitions and conferences in Vietnam. The Standing Deputy Prime Minister stressed that the partnership offers an opportunity for Vietnam to connect with a network of leading global businesses, corporations and investors, while helping to promote trade and investment and expand international cooperation in the energy sector.

A day earlier, Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung received Christopher Hudson, President of dmg events – a group with more than 20 years of experience in organising international events and exhibitions, particularly in the energy and construction sectors – at the ministry’s headquarters. The two consecutive high-level meetings indicate that Government leaders’ interest extends beyond a single exhibition to the long-term presence of an international events network in Vietnam.

The meetings also signalled that energy is now directly linked to Vietnam’s high-growth targets. Electricity demand is rising not only from manufacturing and business activity but also from the growth of data centres, science and technology, innovation and digital transformation. The drive to build a diversified, modern and sustainable energy system is therefore widening the scope for capital, advanced technologies and international cooperation models.

Notably, Government leaders affirmed their readiness to help present Vietnam’s energy sector development plans, and priority projects seeking investment, to international partners. The Standing Deputy PM directed ministries and agencies to step up information sharing and encourage Vietnamese companies to take part in events organised by dmg events, find partners and expand cooperation. Measures to facilitate administrative procedures, entry and exit, visas for experts and investors, and customs clearance for exhibition goods will also be studied in accordance with regulations.

This provides an important foundation for GEEC 2027 to move beyond the scope of an exhibition and become a convergence point for the entire Vietnamese and international energy ecosystem – where policy direction, investment projects, capital, technology, supply chains and strategic partners meet. From that meeting point, Vietnam will have a stronger basis to raise its profile as a destination for global energy events and progressively realise its ambition to become a new hub for energy connectivity in Southeast Asia.

Combining VEC’s modern infrastructure with dmg events’ global partner network, GEEC 2027 is set to give Vietnamese companies a strong boost: faster access to leading-edge technologies, a shorter search for partners and a prime opportunity in the US$136.3 billion energy investment wave. Vietnam is entering its largest energy investment cycle to date, and GEEC 2027 will be an entry point for companies to take part in shaping the region’s energy future.

Find out more and register to attend or exhibit at:

https://www.globalenergyvietnam.com/ or call +84 969 599 900

Hashtag: #VEC

Source: Federated Farmers

New health and safety guidance will give farmers greater certainty about what is expected of them when managing risks on-farm, Federated Farmers says.

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden today launched two new Approved Codes of Practice (ACOPs) covering roles and responsibilities in agriculture and safe farm vehicle operation.

Federated Farmers health and safety spokesperson Greg Anderson says the organisation has worked closely with the Minister and WorkSafe throughout the development of the ACOPs.

“We’ve been heavily involved in this process from the beginning to make sure farmers’ experiences and concerns were reflected.

“Through webinars, direct engagement and detailed feedback, farmers have had a strong voice, and we’re proud to have played a part in getting these changes to where they are today.

“This is exactly what good advocacy should look like – working with Government to get better, more workable rules for farmers.”

Anderson says the finished ACOPs provide much-needed clarity around how health and safety responsibilities work in the fast-changing environment of a farm.

“We all agree that farm safety is absolutely vital and that we need to be doing better, but the rules also need to be grounded in fairness and common sense.

“Farmers will be pleased to see these ACOPs focus on the realities of farm life and provide practical guidance they can actually use – not just vague guidelines.

“Farms are dynamic workplaces, with farmers, employees, contractors and other businesses often working together.

“Having clearer guidance around who’s responsible for what, and how those responsibilities overlap, will give farmers a lot more confidence.”

The Roles and Responsibilities in Agriculture ACOP provides guidance for situations where farmers, managers, workers, contractors, suppliers and others have overlapping health and safety duties.

Meanwhile, the Safe Farm Vehicle Operation ACOP sets out practical ways to manage serious vehicle-related risks, including choosing the right vehicle for the job, assessing conditions and keeping people clear of vehicle movements.

“Vehicle safety is a critical part of farm safety, so having practical guidance around how to manage those risks is important,” Anderson says.

“Good health and safety should be about identifying and managing real risks, rather than farmers having to navigate unnecessary complexity or paperwork.”

The ACOPs will come into effect on 1 April 2027 alongside amendments to the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, including changes clarifying responsibilities for recreational activities, director duties and the compliance burden on small businesses.

Federated Farmers also welcomes the potential for the ACOPs to receive safe-harbour status following the legislative changes.

“This is absolutely something we’ve been calling for, because farmers need confidence that if they follow recognised guidance, they are doing what the law expects of them.

“The possibility of safe-harbour status would provide another important layer of certainty and clarity for farmers.

“We’ll continue working closely with WorkSafe to make sure the guidance works in practice and reflects the realities of farming.”

Anderson says Federated Farmers is happy to see the Government’s health and safety reforms progressing.

“We’re proud to have played a meaningful role in helping get this reform process off the ground, and it’s good to see some of the changes farmers have been calling for now taking shape.

“There’s still work to do to lift the bar on farm safety, but farmers need rules that help them manage risk effectively, rather than simply creating more compliance.

“Our priority is helping farmers feel supported and confident to engage with health and safety in a way that genuinely reduces risk on-farm – not just ticks boxes.”

You can find links to the ACOPs here:

• Approved code of practice: Roles and responsibilities in agriculture | WorkSafe
• Approved code of practice: Safe farm vehicle operation | WorkSafe

Source: Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi

Unions, care and support providers, and community organisations have written an open letter to opposition parties asking them to commit to settling and fully funding the care and support workers’ pay equity claim within the first 100 days of the next Government based on the agreed undervaluation.

The open letter, signed by 29 organisations including all the unions involved in the claim, the provider peak bodies, and a number of employers, states that the claim was all but agreed when the current Government gutted the Equal Pay Act.

“This letter, signed by peak bodies in the care and support sector and unions, shows the widespread support for urgently settling this claim.”

“Care and support workers have waited too long already. The comparator roles are agreed, the level of undervaluation is agreed, the only action left is funding and settling the claim quickly,” said PSA Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi Assistant Secretary Melissa Woolley who was a negotiator for unions in the claim.

“Unions and employers spent hundreds of hours on the claim. They agreed the comparator roles. They found care and support workers were undervalued by between 24 and 38 percent.

“Settling this claim should be a top priority for the next Government in the first 100 days. Care and support workers are the backbone of our health system.

“A settlement only works if it is paid for. These services are mostly funded by the Crown. Providers cannot be left to find the money.

“Parties should build the settlement on what is agreed, and they should say now whether they will.”

The letter says any settlement must come with a commitment to fund:

• the direct costs of the pay equity settlement
• the flow-on pay adjustments across the wider care workforce, including those needed
• to maintain pay differentials that recognise qualifications, experience, clinical responsibilities and professional accountability

The letter says these costs must be built into the funding models for the services concerned, so providers do not absorb them.

Settling the claim would change the lives of the women who do this work. It would also benefit the wider economy. PSA analysis of Treasury modelling shows reinstating it would grow the economy by $13.5 billion over four years, create around 13,000 jobs, and lift an estimated 11,000 children out of poverty.

New Zealanders back it. A recent Talbot Mills poll found that New Zealanders would be prepared to delay the Government’s return to surplus by a year to restore pay equity than oppose it, 49 percent to 28 percent.

Signatories:

1. Access
2. ActionStation
3. Aged Care Association New Zealand
4. Aotearoa Women’s Watch
5. Atamira Platform
6. Auckland Action Against Poverty
7. AUT Social Transformation Research Institute
8. BPW New Zealand
9. Carers New Zealand
10. CBCT
11. E tū
12. Disabled Persons Assembly NZ
13. Filipino Care Workers United
14. Home and Community Health Association
15. Migrant Action Trust
16. Mōkihi Hauora
17. National Council of Women of New Zealand
18. New Zealand Disability Support Network
19. New Zealand Nurses Organisation
20. NUPE
21. NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi
22. PSA Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi
23. Rodger Wright Harm Reduction Network
24. Te Mana Taki Havora Health Action Trust
25. Te Roopu Taurima
26. Te Wāhi Wāhine o Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland Women’s Centre
27. Totara Farm Trust
28. Working Women’s Resource Centre
29. YWCA

The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.

Source: Federated Farmers

The Government’s declaration of a medium-scale adverse event for Southland and Clutha is a welcome step for farmers are under huge stress, Federated Farmers says.

“Conditions are extremely wet and cold, and the persistent rain means there is little or no grass growth,” Feds Southland president Chris Dillon says.

“We’ve endured the wettest winter in 46 years and for the third season in a row, spring is also unusually sodden.

“For many farmers, feed for their livestock is very tight – or gone.”

The adverse events declaration comes with $50,000 for the Southland and Otago Rural Support Trusts to provide more help on the ground, including recovery and wellbeing events.

“It allows the RSTs to pull a few more levers for support, and ways of easing stress for farming families and staff tired out from the long hours of lambing and calving,” Dillon says.

The classification also unlocks tax relief, including more flexible timing of tax payments, and enables the Ministry of Social Development to consider Rural Assistance Payments for farmers who can’t meet essential living costs.

Near-record rainfalls in parts of the Clutha District over winter have also continued into spring.

Federated Farmers Otago president Anna Gillespie says the lack of grass growth will be weighing on the mind of farmers struggling to find supplementary feed, and aware of medium-term impacts as the summer dry looms.

Like Dillon, Gillespie she hasn’t heard reports of significant stock losses but says that impact may yet come.

“Livestock are starting to not cope with the rain, mud and cold. Lamb survival and growth will be back on what it should be,” she says.

“We’re grateful the Government is recognising this is a tough time for our farmers.”

Compounding the wet, there is now a high wind warning out for Otago and Southland.

Dillon urges farmers to exercise extra caution on-farm in the coming days and weeks.

“The waterlogged ground, and impact from the storm last year, means the roots of large trees could be very loose,” Dillon says.

“So, everyone should take care around trees and be aware that soil this wet heightens the risk of slips and landslides.”

Dillon says farmers and lifestyle block owners should be aware that if they can’t drive onto the paddocks themselves, heavy emergency services won’t be able to either.

“If you are going somewhere where access is likely to be difficult, make sure you take suitable communication devices with you.

“Access could be limited to helicopters, or on foot.”

Whole-of-Government initiative empowers women exporters to secure international trade leads at the inaugural WiEX @ MIHAS 2026.

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 1 October 2026 – Demonstrating the global demand for Malaysian innovation, women-led enterprises achieved RM229 million in potential export sales during the pre-arranged business matching sessions and the 4-days exhibition held at the Women in Export (WiEX) Pavilion @ MIHAS 2026.

The targeted 215 B2B meetings connected local women entrepreneurs with international buyers and distributors from Egypt, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia and Myanmar. Women-owned companies from Selangor, Kedah and Kuala Lumpur, Perak and Penang topped the sales with a combined value totaling RM129.84 million for confectionary, snacks, coffee, tea, cocoa and sportswear products.

The WiEX platform held in conjunction with MIHAS 2026 underscores a strategic Whole-of-Government (WoG) approach to scaling women-led businesses into high-value global supply chains. Led by MATRADE with the support of Pertubuhan Hal Ehwal Wanita dan Keluarga Malaysia (HAWA Malaysia), the initiative brought together key government Ministries and developmental Agencies, including the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW), Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA), SME Corp, Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER), Wanita Berdaya Selangor (WBS) and UDA Holdings Bhd. This inter-agency ecosystem ensures the inclusiveness of women entrepreneurs’ transition seamlessly from domestic capacity-building to international market placement.

Speaking at the WiEX Forum, MATRADE Chairman, Dato’ Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican highlighted that:

“The contribution of women entrepreneurs is not a side story in our economy; it is central to it. DOSM’s Economic Census 2023 shows women own 20.1% of Malaysian businesses, generating RM136.9 billion in output and employing nearly a million people. Yet, there remains room to improve export readiness. That is why MATRADE continues the WiEX initiative alongside HAWA Malaysia, chaired by Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil. I am delighted that WiEX is now incorporated as a key component under MIHAS 2026, delivering a complete ecosystem of capacity building, market access, and recognition under one roof to help women entrepreneurs seize global opportunities.”

“In the era of Industry 5.0, success is no longer defined by high-tech alone, but also by high touch. Businesses must go beyond profit and contribute meaningfully to the well-being of their employees, communities and society. As women leaders and entrepreneurs, we must ensure that technological progress is balanced with values that are inclusive, ethical and anchored in integrity”, said Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, President of HAWA Malaysia during her opening speech.

Complementing the commercial outcomes at the WiEX Pavilion is the WiEX Forum 2026 brought together over 300 participants for actionable knowledge-sharing under the theme “Thriving through Uncertainty: Adapt, Compete, and Grow.”

The forum featured an array of industry leaders and founders sharing practical international expansion models:

• Ms. Low Ngai Yuen, Managing Director of AEON 360, detailed retail procurement standards and supply chain integration strategies for domestic and regional growth.
• Datin Eryca Baiduri (Madammu), Founder of NOIR, delivered a fireside chat on evolving a home-based digital business into a scalable global beauty and health brand.
• Founder-led Panel: Moderated by TV personality Ms. Azaria Tagaya, a dynamic panel consisting of Ms. Amnah Shari (Founder/CEO, Serunai Commerce), Tengku Norhanim Tengku Othman (Founder/CEO, NIMS Adeliciousz), Ms. Jesmine Tan (Co-Founder/COO, Applecrumby), and Ms. Amy Blair (Founder/CEO, Batik Boutique) provided tactical lessons on maintaining quality, navigating regulatory compliance, and managing supply chains across export markets.

Through the combined impact of trade facilitation, strategic cross-agency backing and industry mentorship, MATRADE will continue working alongside HAWA Malaysia, KKDW, MARA, SME Corp and NCER and international trade partners to elevate the ‘Made by Malaysia’ brand globally.

Hashtag: #MIHAS

MATRADE

The Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) is Malaysia’s national trade promotion agency. Established in March 1993, its primary role is to assist Malaysian exporters in developing and expanding their export markets. Aligned with Malaysia’s commercial diplomacy efforts, MATRADE is the nation’s trade facilitator and champion of Malaysian-made products and services on the global stage.