Kuala lumpur: Eighty women entrepreneurs, including 20 from overseas, will set up booths at the Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) 2026 as part of the Women in Export (WiEX) initiative. The WiEX programme is being introduced as a key strategic component of the showcase.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) chairman Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican stated that WiEX would serve as a dedicated exhibition platform, providing business networking sessions and access to financing to assist women entrepreneurs in building resilience and entering international markets. Reezal Merican emphasized the programme's goal to diversify sources of wealth and generate more opportunities for women as they venture into the expansive field of export. Special attention is given to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which play a crucial role in the country's development, yet have limited participation in exports.
In 2025, WiEX was launched as a pilot initiative, with MATRADE data indicating a notable increase in local women entrepreneurs leading export-oriented businesses, particularly in the cosmetics, innovative food, and modest fashion sectors. Reezal Merican announced that MIHAS 2026 had achieved its target of 2,400 exhibition spaces and 1,700 booths, with Malaysian exhibitors making up approximately 70 percent and international exhibitors 30 percent. The event will attract buyers from 58 countries, offering exhibitors enhanced opportunities to establish business connections and explore international markets.
Reezal Merican further mentioned that for the International Sourcing Programme (INSP), MIHAS 2026 would move away from manual matching, instead harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) technology through the MADANI Digital Trade Platform (MDTP). The AI algorithm on MDTP will conduct comprehensive analyses of local SMEs' production capacities, compliance standards, and business profiles, and match them accurately with the profiles and specific criteria of global buyers in real time. This approach aims to ensure that every business-to-business (B2B) meeting is targeted, reducing the risk of trial and error, and increasing the success rate of trade sales.
The 22nd edition of MIHAS 2026, themed 'Mapping Trust, Driving Resilience', will feature 14 strategic industry clusters under one roof, including food and beverage, cosmetics and personal care, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, Muslim-friendly tourism, Islamic finance, halal medical devices, and halal ingredient innovation. The showcase will be held from September 23 to 26 at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) in Kuala Lumpur.