President’s Message

Dear Esteemed Members of MRCA, Welcome to the next phase of 2022, where most businesses are beginning to pick up in pace. As the economy begins to rev its engine, I am con dent that all our members are ready for the V shaped recovery. Having Sharan Valiram been impacted President 2022-2024 by the COVID-19 Malaysia Retail Chain pandemic over the Association last 2 years, many businesses have su ered tremendous setbacks. As the dark clouds pass and as we begin to see the silver linings, we are grateful to be given the opportunity to restart, re-energise and restore our business operations once again.

I am humbled for the opportunity to lead MRCA as your 9th President during these hopeful times. I would like to thank Ms. Shirley Tay for her leadership and all her executive committee members for their unwavering support and commitment to serve over the last 2 years.

I am pleased to share with you our theme “Together We Thrive”. Together we aim to strive for success, growth, and greatness. We aim to galvanise our members Together to take the retail industry and MRCA to achieve yet greater heights. With 30 years of experience and expertise in the retail industry, MRCA continues to be the ultimate voice of the retail industry in Malaysia. We are positioned to deliver new ideas and concepts to rejuvenate the retail industry to scale yet greater heights.

We will continue to organise networking and learning activities as this is the raison d’etre of our association and prioritise how we can Together help our members to restore and revive their businesses. Together we will ensure the retail industry continues to Thrive.

According to Retail Group Malaysia, our retail industry recorded a promising growth rate of 18.3 percent in retail sales, as compared to the same period in 2021. This indicates strong growth and shows excellent signs of revival of our industry. The festive periods, namely Chinese New Year & Hari Raya, saw stronger sales for retailers with consumers from all races taking the opportunity to enjoy shopping and travelling. Additionally, domestic tourism has contributed to higher retail sales.

In March this year, Retail Group Malaysia (RGM) estimated a 6.3 percent growth rate in retail sales for 2022. The Group has revised upwards the Malaysia annual retail industry growth rate for 2022 from 6.3 percent to 13.1 percent due to the expected strong retail results during the second half of this year.

As we know, inflation is setting in, and we retailers must put on our thinking caps and generate new ideas and strategies to attract consumers. We must also help our customers gain greater value for every ringgit they spend. To attain this, we need to come Together and stand united to design, plan and implement strategies to drive a Thriving and robust retail industry. Let us all Together ride the wave of recovery despite the challenges we may encounter.

We have approximately 6 months of 2022 le to capitalise on market opportunities and to drive our business revenues upwards. Let us all do our utmost to take advantage of the prosperity that is awaiting to be unleashed. In the spirit of our theme, “Together We Thrive”, I urge all of our members to actively participate in MRCA’s activities and events to gain greater learning in the advancement of the retail industry to enable us to rise above any challenges that may come before us.

I am also pleased to share with you that MRCA was recently awarded the Malaysia Influential Intellectual Property Brand Award 2022 by the Consumer Action Council (MPTN). MRCA Council Member, Wesley Tan, our Assistant General Manager, Simon Wong and MRCA Southern Chapter Members attended the award ceremony in May at the Loon Sing Convention Hall Taman Daya in Johor Bahru.

In line with our corporate social responsibility e orts, the MRCA Branding Education Charity Foundation reached out to several charitable organisations such as Pusat Jagaan Haneen Firdous, a community project initiated by Little Steps Organisation in Klang. Read all about it in this issue of our magazine.

Learn about MRCA’s exciting journey and about all our activities over the last few months in this issue of the Retailer Magazine.

Wishing you only the very best and I look forward to meeting all of you in person.

“Together We Thrive”