The NZ Malaysia Business Association Inc (NZMBA) and Malaysian Business Council UAE (MBC-UAE) have formed a bilateral partnership that serves as an influential platform for businesses in Malaysia, New Zealand and UAE to seek new opportunities and engage in high-level strategic business ties amongst the regions.
The joint NZMBA and MBC-UAE platform provides safe, reliable and lucrative networks and insider knowledge to help with establishing business interests and expanding markets in Australasia, Middle East and the ASEAN Region.
The collaboration between NZMBA and MBC-UAE is a strong and secure conduit for business, thereby uniting all three regions and more.
The NZMBA Hamilton branch is hosting a Malaysian Merdeka Food Festival at Trust Waikato, Hamilton city this Saturday 28th August, 6.30pm to celebrate Malaysia’s 63rd Anniversary of Independence (Merdeka!).
Arran Hunt, Partner and Immigration specialist at Stace Hammond Lawyers, Updates us on the latest changes to the Operational Manual (Rulebook for Immigration NZ).
According to Arran… “A 24-month visa to be granted to someone who is awaiting a Skilled Migrant Category application decision, rather than the previous 12 month. It makes sense to make this change, as the same person could apply for an ESWV and get at least the same length of visa.
We have the operational manual changes, and they provide some much needed clarity.
Labour market test is gone for anyone who holds a work visa and is applying for a visa at the same job. That is ANY work visa, including open work visas.”
For further explanation Watch on Youtube: https://lnkd.in/ddweSVQ on the Stace Hammond Lawyers – Immigration Youtube Channel
Labour Market Tests gone for some, 24 Month Visas & AEWV Delayed Arran Hunt, Partner and immigration specialist at Stace Hammond Lawyers, gives his opinion on the latest immigration law changes.
The New Zealand Malaysia Business Association (NZMBA) with the Samoan Trade Commissioner and the New Zealand Samoa Trade and Investment Commission (NZSTIC) had a fruitful meeting at the office of Stace Hammond Lawyers on 13 July 2021, discussing bilateral trade and business opportunities between Malaysia, Samoa and New Zealand.
Samoa, a Pacific Island nation with a strong presence in NZ, has a largely agriculture-based economy. Current exports include seafood, mineral fuels, electrical machinery and equipment, and agricultural produce such as cocoa, taro, coconut, and palm oil. Malaysia and Samoa’s bilateral trade is negligible. Total trade from Jan to May 2021, stands at RM7,559,291 with imports from Samoa at RM 126,461. A substantial trade imbalance exists, which Samoa wants to address.
NZMBA together with their secretariat Stace Hammond Lawyers and the firm’s Managing Partner, Patrick Wilson, have encouraged Samoa to look into the halal market in Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
Tafilelea Fa’avae Gagamoe, Acting Chairman of NZSTIC explained to the NZMBA President, Dave Ananth, how Samoa and its pacific island neighbours, including Papua New Guinea would be able to work together through an extensive labour force network that was readily available to upscale production to meet expanding global markets. Growing industries in Samoa are IT, infrastructure – in particular, water and waste management, renewable energy such as solar, biofuels and wind.
Ananth relayed that Samoa’s Trade Commissioner, Hon. Magele Mauiliu Magele, who visited Malaysia in 2014 as Minister of Education, realises that there is a great opportunity to tap into Samoa and the greater Pacific Region. Ananth said in a message, the following day, “I just had a zoom meeting with a Malaysian company and told them about the opportunities in the Pacific region. They are keen to explore especially with the current Covid-19 situation over in Malaysia. Samoa and the Pacific islands need to be explored and we are here to open doors for them”, he added.
Samoa has tremendous potential for Malaysian companies, and we can be the conduit working with the Samoan Trade Commissioner, Ananth says. “The Covid pandemic has changed the landscape and business thinking. The world has changed. We need to look beyond now, it is not about just ROI’s but also about health and safety. Whilst some countries are still playing politics with Covid, my suggestion is that we move on and do business, plan now, then you are set to run when the borders are open”.
The NZ Malaysia Business Association Inc (NZMBA) was invited by the Waikato Business Chambers CEO, Don Good to attend Fieldays 2021 with other local dignitaries. The invitation, besides the close working relationship NZMBA and the Chamber has, is also to explore halal products for the intended halal expo at the same venue in 2022. There were more than 1000 exhibitors this year but not many were in the halal industry.
NZMBA President Dave Ananth, who is also Senior Tax Counsel with Stace Hammond Lawyers (NZMBA’s secretariat) also attended the event with Stace Hammond Lawyers: Patrick Wilson and Paul Connolly. According to Ananth, the opportunity for the halal market is enormous. Ananth said, “I saw one or two halal exhibitors but there are many other opportunities: plenty from agriculture, dairy, milk, goat, crafts, fertilizers, technology. NZ manufacturers need to explore other markets, we need to sell, that must be the strategy. If we can expand NZ exports to include a wider range of halal goods to the Middle East, Southeast Asia, why not? We must think outside the box”.
“This is an amazing opportunity for businesses to showcase their products. We are keen on the halal opportunities available in clean green, Covid free New Zealand. There are tremendous opportunities for the right investor. We are happy to look for local partners in the region to tie-up with overseas investors be they from Malaysia or the Middle East. We want an expo tent here in 2022 to showcase NZ’s halal exports. That’s our focus, he says”.
NZMBA’s international marketing director, Norfahreen Azfy who is based in both Dubai and NZ said, “I have never seen anything like this. This is real: farmers, fantastic products, very different from what I have seen in the Middle East. It’s an amazing atmosphere, I am so thrilled to be here. I can already foresee so many opportunities for the NZ market in the Middle East.”
Asmuni Saharil, a human resource company director, in alliance with the NZMBA team is excited about introducing NZ cattle and goat that have been specifically bred for tropical climates, to Malaysia and Indonesia through a local company. Asmuni aims to take this to FELDA and some Malaysian State governments to seek collaboration.
NZMBA will be jointly working with MYDC – Myfundaction NZ, an Islamic-based NZ Trust currently involved in a lot of charity work, to help NZ businesses expand their outreach to halal markets beyond theirown shores.
Waikato Chamber CEO Don Good said, “We at the Chambers are fully supportive of NZMBA. We look forward to the many collaborations with the halal industry in the Waikato region and Islamic countries. “There are halal skincare and perfume products based and manufactured in NZ, come to us and the NZMBA, and we will tie the knots, he says.”
A documentary produced Zabrina Fernandez of Red Communications for Astro, highlights, among the many others affected by the pandemic, the story of the NZMBA’s Reachout Campaign and how stranded Malaysians in NZ were helped to get back home. The stories of Dave Ananth (NZMBA President), Esther, Pam Wong (committee members) and John Ho (stranded Malaysian overseas) are documented here.
*To Malaysians all over the world and at home, we stand with you in commemoration of Hari Malaysia and the experiences that bind us together.* #KitaJagaKita#Reachout
*There were many helping hands that helped to get our stranded fellow Malaysians back home, to you we say TERIMA KASIH from the bottom of our hearts.
Special mention to our High Commissioner Nur Izzah Wong Mee Choo and her amazing team, High Commission of Malaysia in Wellington, New Zealand*
Tune in to our Facebook live streamed webinars on this event page, with speakers who are professionals in their fields, followed by a Q+A session. SERIES 1- COVID-19: DEALING WITH COMMERCIAL LEASES AND WAGE SUBSIDIES; POST-COVID BUSINESS ADVICE Thursday 20 August, 7:30-8:00pm FB Live event: https://bit.ly/ReachOut2-NZMBA
During NZ’s March 2020 Covid lockdown, Dave Ananth, NZMBA President, and Senior Tax Counsel for Stace Hammond Lawyers, has helped some businesses, free of charge, to receive at least 50% commercial rent reduction.
“Reaching out to the Malaysian and NZ Community -Standing together and helping one another during Covid-19 and beyond” NZ MALAYSIA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION (NZMBA), Auckland, New Zealand www.nzmba.org.nz
Enquiries / More info: Pam Louis Secretary nzmba.inc@gmail.com
The New Zealand Malaysia Business Association (NZMBA) was incorporated in Auckland, New Zealand on 14th November 2019, with its formation first rooted in the spirit of Merdeka and a Malaysia Baharu.
At the Malaysian Merdeka Business Networking event in Auckland on 20th September 2019, Dave Ananth, Senior Tax Counsel of Stace Hammond Lawyers, mooted the idea of a Malaysian business association to about 50 Malaysian attendees mainly business owners and professionals of Malaysian ethnicity in Auckland. There was strong support for such an association from those present. According to Dave, “there is a large Malaysian community in New Zealand, especially in Auckland, and we would like to be their conduit to networking and business planning in New Zealand. We are happy to advise and explore business opportunities between both countries”.
Thus, the NZMBA was formed and is currently presided over by its inaugural President, Dave Ananth, with Francis Chai as Vice President.
Stace Hammonds Lawyers is also the NZMBA’s secretariat and the first law firm appointed by the Negeri Sembilan state Government as their representatives in New Zealand.
The NZMBA with Stace Hammonds to date, have introduced a genetic cattle specialist to the Negeri Sembilan government for a possible exchange of technology and are also collaborating to establish potentially the largest Halal Hub in Southeast Asia in Negeri Sembilan. The NZMBA is also looking forward to working with the Malaysian Ministry of Transport to help improve the child safety industry standards.
A non-profit society, the NZMBA aims to:
Assist Malaysians within the society to interact and network with each other and with the wider business community in NZ
Promote bilateral trade and networking between Malaysian and NZ-based business
Be an inclusive business networking association, working together with associate members from the wider New Zealand business community, as well as internationally.
Assist its members across diverse areas business in networking, entrepreneurship assistance in start-ups, new clients, providing advice: legal, finance, immigration, tax
Postal: DX CP 18012, PO Box 106-376, Auckland 1143
NZMBA President Dave Ananth (L) with Vice President Francis Chai addressing the guests at the Malaysian Merdeka Business Networking eventGuests listening to speeches at the Malaysian Merdeka Business Networking event
