The marketplace, to be built as a mall, would soon be launched to help Indonesian SMEs tap into the Middle East market and for Bahrain to strengthen its bilateral trade relationship with Indonesia. This was announced at a press conference held yesterday at Capital Club premises in Manama. 500 to 700 SMEs, majority of whom will be from Indonesia and rest from Bahrain, will sell their products at the market place.The project was brought to Bahrain by the initiative of KHK Holding and through a joint venture partnership between Exelon, Smexindo and Sram & Mram Resources Company. However, the organizers are yet to finalize the land where the mall will be established.
“This will be a mall, with hundreds of shops. This will facilitate business to customer (B2C) as well as business to business (B2B) relationship. There will be a facility to export from here to other countries. This will also be a base for the Middle East operations,” Sailesh Lachu Hiranandani, Chairman, Sram & Mram Resources Company told DT News. He said that an Industrial park will also be launched. “Some of the SMEs will bring the raw materials here and manufacture here.”
Addressing the press conference were Samsul Hadi, Founder Chairman, Smexindo & Indukumkm, Sailesh Lachu Hiranandani, Chairman, Sram & Mram Resources Company WLL, Nur Syahrir Rahardjo, Indonesian Ambassador, Mohammad Mansoor, CEO & Managing Director, Exelon Industrial Solutions and Mohammad Shahid, CEO, KHK Holdings.
“I am very grateful to His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa for having extended an olive branch to all of us here to showcase our products and start the venture which should be the beginning of a symbolic relation between Bahrain and Indonesia,” said Mansoor.
“On this occasion, I would like to take this opportunity to showcase the vision of KHK Holdings in your midst. The Kingdom of Bahrain is committed to sports and sporting events and his Highness Shaikh Khalid has taken personal interest in promoting sporting events in Manama. We propose to conduct at least 2 competition every year in Indonesia. On each in Jakarta and Bali.” said Shahid.
“Indonesia always considers Bahrain very important due to its strategic role as a trading gateway into the Middle East and there are some Indonesian products such as furniture, garment, textile and may more potential products to enter Bahrain market as well as Middle East market,” Hariadi Saptadji, Chairman of Indukumkm said.