Datuk Maheran Mohd Salleh president of Malaysia Qatar Business Council (MQBC) said Qatar has many established companies that are readily up for collaboration with Malaysian companies in various industry segments such as oil and gas, health tourism and food safety. Along with expanding the business to other West Asian countries, Malaysian entrepreneurs should explore the vast opportunities available in the Qatar market, simultaneously.

She told the Malaysian media on Wednesday “We hope that Malaysian companies will take advantage of the close relations between Malaysia and Qatar to expand their business here. MQBC is ready to help Malaysian and Qatari companies in developing strategic business partnerships for investments in both countries,” said Maheran.

She said at present the number of Malaysian companies investing in Qatar is rather small compared to Singapore and Indonesia, altogether.

In fact, she said five Malaysian government-linked companies such as Gamuda Bhd and WCT Engineering Bhd (WCT), which had acquired projects in the country in the past 10 years, have already completed their respective projects.

“So Malaysian companies and entrepreneurs should seize the opportunities available in the country,” she said, adding that Qatar also intends to make Malaysia as its base to expand its investments in Southeast Asia.

Maheran strongly feels that Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s four-day visit to Qatar which already has begun on Wednesday can have a positive impact on bilateral trade between the countries.