Warm greetings from the Malaysian Retailer-Chains Association. Let’s take a ride back to memory lane, reminiscing about the achievement of MRCA since its inception in year 1992. Back then memberships were few and member’s stores consisted only a handful. The retailing industries were experiencing spurt of growth with the sprouting of potential shopping malls throughout the metropolitan area, more rampant in and around the Klang Valley.
Today over a decade of retail evolution, MRCA has evolved through time and members of MRCA have grown in leaps and bounds. I am proud to say that if anyone walks into a mall in Malaysia they will surely be able to spot many of MRCA members’ stores in the shopping malls. And, I would like to pay tribute to our past President and Councils, as this is largely due to their impeccable contributions, that MRCA is what it is today.
MRCA has come a long way and I am sure many of MRCA members share this same sentiment with me. As much as we would like to remember only the retail boom period where members of MRCA and other professional retailers eagerly participated in snapping up prime retail spaces, we must also vividly remember the lessons learned during the period of economic adversity. Members of MRCA collectively supported each other and persevered to keep our businesses afloat. Having weathered through a decade of ups and downs, today we are a stronger Association and better prepared to face any challenges that may come our way.
Since the formation of MRCA (in 1992), various programs have been conducted in providing information and assistance to the industry, including dialogue session, business mission and seminar on relevant retailing topics. Its members are also honored to have opportunities to voice their suggestions, opinions or seek for assistances from different division of the government agencies.
When MRCA was first set up, one of the key objectives was to promote Malaysia as a shopping paradise to the world and I am proud to say that MRCA have supported many of the Government’s efforts to promote Malaysia as the international shopping destination. MRCA have also worked successfully with shopping malls management to provide shoppers with value, choice and variety. Today, MRCA members are no longer confined to operating their shops in Malaysia. Many of MRCA members have expanded abroad and in fact competing with more established international brands. Many MRCA members are successfully operating their retail presence in Asia, Middle Eastern countries and others. This success I believe is attributed to MRCA members’ unity and their willingness to share, network and pull resources together without reservation, hence the testimonies of expansion and profitability among our members both locally and abroad.
MRCA is also a collective group of socially responsible retail business community. What it has reaped it has no apprehension to put back in benefiting the society or community, such as contributing during adverse situations like the Tsunami Relief Fund, JE Fund Raising Campaign, Malaysian For Peace Campaign, just to name a few. Every MRCA members contributed its resources and it is in these selfless acts, which strikes a balance between profitability in the business sense and humanity. We are proud to be apart of preserving the community of Malaysia, which we passionately called home.
My hope is that MRCA will continue to encourage its members to progressively contribute a bit more for the growth of the retail business community and, collectively, overtime we will attain a greater voice of influence towards the progression of the retail industry in Malaysia. To all members, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all the support that you have given to both MRCA and I. Lets join our hands together and make Malaysia a truly shopping paradise! And, for those who are keen to explore the possibility of becoming our valued member, you are truly welcome to contact us.