Sunway: A 'pantun', two familiar consumer brands and a call for stronger business cooperation came together at the launch of Tealive and Dutch Lady Malaysia's ready-to-drink dairy beverage collaboration today. Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Minister Steven Sim, who launched the collaboration, said partnerships between local companies and multinational corporations (MNCs) could serve as a good model for strengthening Malaysian brands and moving the country beyond merely being a manufacturing base.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Sim opened his remarks with a pantun that captured the spirit of the event, reflecting the collaboration between the two brands in Sunway. The pantun, using images of a flower and a beetle as metaphors for cooperation, illustrated how a Malaysian brand and an MNC could combine their strengths to offer a new product to consumers.

"This is not about being 'syok sendiri' (self-absorbed) in changing from 'Made in Malaysia' to 'Made by Malaysia'. It is because of the global economic trend where we are facing very tough competition, not only in this region but also from major economies," Sim told reporters on the sidelines of the launch.

Sim highlighted that Malaysia's previous economic model had predominantly focused on manufacturing, with technology, branding, and design held by foreign companies. "Tealive is a Malaysian brand, and this collaboration with an MNC is a very good model," he said, expressing hope for more such collaborations in the market, particularly those involving local entrepreneurs.