KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 17 (Bernama) -- A 60-member Malaysian business

delegation to Nepal earlier this week, signed six memoranda of understanding

(MoUs), with three Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) having started

negotiations on investments in manufacturing, tourism and retail marketing.

The MOUs and investments include more Nepali students coming to study in

Malaysia, a joint venture in establishing a college or university, establishing

retail outlets and more investments in the tourism and manufacturing sectors.

According to a statement from the Malaysia Nepal Business Council (MNBC)

here today, the delegation had a 30-minute meeting on Tuesday with Nepal’s Prime

Minister Baburam Bhattarai, who welcomed Malaysian investors and guaranteed

their investments.

"We welcome you all and guarantee your investments in the manufacturing,

construction, hydroelectric, tourism and other sectors," Baburam told the

delegation.

The four-day visit which started as a private sector initiative, was led

by joint delegation leaders, SME Corp Malaysia chairman, Datuk Mohamed Al Amin

Abdul Majid and Tan Sri Aseh Che Mat, a former Home Ministry secretary general.

Mohamed Al Amin said: "Nepal, being a business friendly government, accords

a high level of commitment to supporting Malaysian companies. At the same time,

Nepal has also been establishing joint ventures in Malaysia."

He told the business networking dinner in Kathmandu, that the objective of

the mission was to expose Malaysian Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs)

to business opportunities in the emerging Nepali market.

"We believe there is a huge untapped potential for business linkages

between the Malaysian and Nepalese communities, evidenced by the consistent

positive growth in trade between the two nations.

"There is also a tremendous scope for promotion of mutually beneficial

commercial relations in the area of trade, investment, employment and tourism

promotion," he said.

Aseh said that since 2001, Malaysia had recognised Nepal as a

source country for foreign workers.

Meanwhile, MNBC president Datuk Pardip Kumar said in the same statement

that it was a successful business mission, and businessmen from both countries

leveraged on the opportunities to intensify existing trade relations.

In addition to the Malaysian delegation meeting the Prime Minister, the

members also had meetings with Nepal''s two Deputy Prime Ministers and the

Minister of Commerce.-- BERNAMA