Malaysia, one of the leading international Islamic financial centre, can serve as a good platform for fund raising activities by United Arab Emirates (UAE) companies, International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz says Sunday, according to Bernama. UAE companies could raise any form of treasury instruments in Malaysia by floating their shares on the Labuan International Offshore Financial Exchange (LIOFE), she said in her keynote address at the Malaysia Services Exhibition 2008 (MSE 2008), held here today. "Companies in the UAE may utilise the LIOFE as a platform to raise conventional or Syariah-compliant debt or equity securities, denominated in foreign currencies, which could be listed on the LIOFE," she said. Rafidah is leading a trade and investment mission to Sharjah, Kuwait City, Kuwait and Muscat, Oman from Jan 12 to Jan 19. Her 168 delegation members include Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) chief executive officer Datuk Noharuddin Nordin, government officials and representatives from the private sector. A total of 168 Malaysian companies, business councils and government agencies in the services sector are represented at this inaugural exhibition. These companies represent 11 industry clusters namely construction, engineering, technology and innovation, healthcare and hospital-related services, information and communication technology, oil and gas, education and specialised training, energy and power generation, financial services, logistics and transportation, professional services and franchising.
