By Roy Lie Atjam
The Malaysian Embassy in the Netherlands organised The First Malaysia Fair to showcase Malaysia’s splendour, including agriculture, tourism, cuisine, and export.
The fair attracted various components of Dutch society. What initially began as MATRADE and the diaspora’s Malaysian annual spring food fair on the embassy grounds has been catapulted to the Westfield Mall Netherlands in Leidschendam, The Hague, 27 – 28 July 2024.
The fair’s program featured a wide range of Malaysian fruits and products, cultural performances, dances, songs, music, prizes, and a trip to Malaysia. The event aimed to showcase the diverse offerings of the nation.
Several distinguished guests attended the launching ceremony, including ambassadors and diplomats from ASEAN member states based in The Hague, Dutch government officials, and representatives from industries such as halal authority, tourism, and Diplomat Magazine.
Addressing the audience, H.E. Ambassador Roseli Abdul highlighted Malaysia’s tourism potential and encouraged guests to explore the country’s diverse attractions and experience the warmth and hospitality of the Malaysian people firsthand.
During the fair, exhibitors, including Aqina Holdings Sdn. Bhd, KULIM (Malaysia) Berhad, 3BUMI Trading Sdn.Bhd and the Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board (LPNM) showcased Malaysian fresh pineapple MD2 and food products. They attracted Dutch visitors with samples, encouraging them to explore new flavours.
Mr. Alex Tan, General Manager of AQINA Farm, highlighted Aqina fruits, particularly pineapples. He supplies MD2 pineapples, dry snacks, and pineapple seeds. Tan has been running a pineapple farm since 2004 and exports his produce to Turkey, Japan, Iran, Korea, local markets, and other parts of the world.
In 2015, AQINA received the prestigious MYGAP Certificate from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security of Malaysia (MAFS), an evidence to its environmental friendliness, commitment to employees’ welfare and reassurance of the high quality of Malaysian produce.
Mr. Alex Tan travelled to the Netherlands to introduce his pineapples and other fruits to the country. His packed schedule indicates success in his endeavours. In collaboration with TUI Nederland, the tourism booth provided information about Malaysia’s travel destinations. The fair introduced the MAHA Go Global 2024 initiative for business expansion and innovation in agriculture and horticulture. MAHA 2024 will occur from 11-22 September in MAEPS, Serdang, Selangor. The well-attended two-day fair ran from 27 to 28 July 2024 at Westfield Mall of the Netherlands.
The First Malaysia Fair in the Netherlands is a great success and is expected to be repeated annually. It reached various sections of Dutch society and energised the Malaysian diaspora in the Netherlands.
The Embassy of Malaysia invites you to join them at the next edition of The First Malaysia Fair and experience the splendour of Malaysia first-hand.
Everyone who attended The First Malaysia Fair 2024 was enthused and eagerly anticipating the next edition. We hope to see you there!
