The Small to Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of a country’s economy. As a whole, they provide more job opportunities, pay more in taxes and contribute much more to the local community than the big corporations.

No doubt SMEs takes more risks in their business, but if you want to see real growth and opportunities, you can count on these gung-ho SMEs enterpreneurs. During an economy crisis, they are the ones that would work hard to make sure the orders continue to come in and also to keep their employees on the payroll, while big corporations won’t even think twice about laying off their crews.

Here’s a list of microfinance institutions available for SMEs in Malaysia and the various products they offer:

Source: www.smeinfo.com.my

Sir Richard Branson, the renowned British industrialist is coming to KL next month for the Dawn of the New Decade – Alternative Investments in Asia forum.

Here’s the press release on the event, thanks to Elya of GoComm.com.my on the note.

KL TO WELCOME SIR RICHARD BRANSON FOR LANDMARK FORUM
Kuala Lumpur, Monday, 9 August 2010- Richard Branson, founder and Chairman of the Virgin Group, requires little introduction – few people are as internationally well known, fewer still as universally liked and respected. The entrepreneur’s entrepreneur, inspiring business leader and fearless adventurer Branson is an ambassador for the “can do” attitude.

The famously goatee-ed Englishman comes to Kuala Lumpur in September to participate in the Dawn of the New Decade – Alternative Investments in Asia forum. This event is being staged by the venerable International Herald Tribune in association with the London Speaker Bureau. The forum is the first of its kind to be staged in Asia and it will feature more than 15 leading luminaries in the field of finance and investment. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak will be giving the official key note speech at the event which takes place on 27 and 28 September in the Renaissance Hotel.

Branson will be giving his eagerly anticipated special keynote speech on the opening day of the forum. The billionaire is expected to outline his thoughts on the current investment landscape and on the growing importance of Asia. As the head of Virgin Atlantic Airways he has a particularly relevant perspective on the airline industry, however, as the owner of 360 other companies the depth and breadth of his experience is virtually peerless.

Recently turned 60 Branson began his life in business at the tender age of 16 launching a magazine called Student. By 22 he had a chain of successful record stores. There followed the airline, the mobile phone operator, a railway, a healthcare company and even a space tourism company. He is now worth an estimated US$4 billion. His philanthropy is as famed as his trans-continental balloon voyages.

Attending the two-day forum will be over 1,000 delegates from across the region including some leading bankers, investors and fund managers. They will be hearing not just from Richard Branson but also from Mary Buffet, daughter in law of Warren Buffet, arguably the world’s most successful investor. The other speakers will include Anil Gupta, renowned expert on Strategy and Globalisation; Dr Fang Gang one of China’s most influential economists and Augusto Lopez-Claros, Chief Economist with the World Economic Forum.

Invaluable opinions, predictions, advice and speculation will be shared at this seminal event. It will be extremely informative and, of course, a gilt-edged networking opportunity. It is to be noted that this is a regional event that will be heavily publicised throughout the IHT and worthy of further note is that Malaysia was selected as host above some strong competition.

For more information about the forum including a full list of the speakers, the programme and details of how to book tickets please visit www.invest2010.asia

-END-

Issued on behalf of the London Speakers Bureau by: GO Communications Sdn Bhd. For further information kindly contact:

Lizayati Damit
Brand Director
Mobile: +6016 971 1580 / 03 7710- 3288
E-mail: liza@gocomm.com.my

Elya Eusoff
Brand Manager
Mobile: +6017 366 2277 / 03 7710- 3288
E-mail: elya@gocomm.com.my

Choo Hen
Brand Executive
Mobile: +6017 433 8189/ 03 7710- 3288
E-mail: choo@gocomm.com.my

Via Expatypus.com

Part I

Part II

Part III

Here’s a table on Malaysia’s petrol and diesel prices for the past 3 decades.

Malaysia Price for RON97, RON95, RON92 and Diesel since 1984. Source: OSK188.com

Moving from A to B is only going to get more expensive if we are to continue our reliance on oil.

We need national policies that can reduce the cost of owning electric vehicles and also to encourage private sector to venture in sustainable logistics. There is so much upside for everyone if we can just stop our addiction to oil and take the leap.

In countries like China, Denmark and Japan, where the transformation is already underway, the government has made electrification a national priority. China has set a goal of becoming the global leader in the manufacture and deployment of electric vehicles, providing rebates of almost $9,000 for the purchase of each vehicle. Denmark has adopted a tax structure that strongly favors electric vehicles over gasoline models. And today in Japan, fully electric taxi cabs already take passengers to and from their destinations in Tokyo, as part of a project by Tokyo’s largest taxi operator, Better Place LLC – a leading provider of electric vehicle networks and services, and the Japanese government. 



Read the full story “The Beginning of the End of Our Oil Addiction”.

Twenty inspirational leaders, read more at BusinessWeek.com.

Stop whatever you’re doing. This is worth your time.

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