PAM eyes at least RM1b in transactions
KUALA LUMPUR: Southeast Asia’s biggest annual architectural event, the Architecture, Interior Design and Building Exhibition 2017 (Archidex 2017), is targeting over RM1 billion in transactions this year.
This, according to event organiser Pertubuhan Arkitek Malaysia (PAM), was more or less the amount achieved at last year’s event.
“We saw transactions amounting to almost RM1 billion during Archidex 2016 and, given the upward trend of transactions year-on-year since we began this exhibition in 1999, we are quite confident of achieving over RM1 billion in transactions,” said its president Ezumi Harzani Ismail.
“We are also expecting a five per cent increase in visitors to 36,000 this year.”
According to data, Malaysian’s economy registered a strong 5.6 per cent growth in the first quarter, versus 4.1 per cent in the same period last year.
“The economy is definitely on the uptrend now. We are positive that with an improved economy, we will have more jobs lined up in the future,” said Ezumi.
Deputy Works Minister Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin had earlier said the prime focus of Archidex 2017 was increasing the use of local materials in mega projects.
“The heavy reliance on imported goods in mega projects impacts the development of small and medium enterprises and puts pressure on the current balance,” she said.
“The government has established the Current Account Task Force to identify emerging risks to the current account surplus and formulate action plans to counter them.
“Events such as Archidex help to increase the use of local content as well as promote more local consultants, while reducing dependence on foreign professionals,” she added.
Archidex 2017 started yesterday at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre and will end on Saturday.