Harbin:Malaysia has been chosen as the Guest Country of Honour for the 36th Harbin International Economic and Trade Fair in China in 2027. This selection follows the successful international market penetration of KampungGOOD products. According to BERNAMA News Agency, the announcement was made by Minister of Housing and Local Government Nga Kor Ming. He highlighted this recognition as a testament to the efforts made by New Village entrepreneurs in expanding their products globally. At the 35th Harbin Expo in May, 39 KampungGOOD products were showcased, marking a noteworthy achievement. Minister Nga emphasized that this recognition will present more opportunities for KampungGOOD entrepreneurs to grow their markets, create jobs, and encourage youth entrepreneurship in villages. He made these remarks while officiating the national 'Wow! Kampung Baru' Expo and KampungGOOD 2026 Competition. The minister also noted that only KampungGOOD-certified entrepreneurs would represent Malaysia at the 2027 Harbin Expo, en suring that all showcased products meet high-quality standards. Additionally, he encouraged these entrepreneurs to obtain halal certification from the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia to access global Muslim consumer markets. Nga further stated that the success of KampungGOOD underscores the potential of new villages to serve as economic drivers through innovation and entrepreneurship, in addition to their rich traditional and heritage values. He mentioned ongoing efforts by KPKT to strengthen the development of National New Villages in areas such as infrastructure, village beautification, and ecotourism. He also announced that KPKT secured RM320 million in funding from Bank Simpanan Nasional to provide loans to New Village entrepreneurs, with interest rates as low as two percent. Each entrepreneur can borrow up to RM150,000, and there are plans to seek an additional RM100 million from the Finance Ministry next year to increase the total funding to RM420 million. The 'Wow! National New Village' E xpo, which concluded over three days, brought together communities from 26 new villages, showcasing local products under five themes. Nga expressed confidence in reaching RM300,000 in sales, noting an overwhelming response with many products sold out. Lastly, Nga announced that the KampungGOOD Competition and 'Wow! National New Village' Expo will become annual events, with a proposal to double the prize money to incentivize product quality and competitiveness. The competition's Gold Award was won by Penang's Sungai Pinang New Village for its Island Cincalok Sauce, while other villages took home Silver and Bronze awards for their unique products.