KUALA LUMPUR, April 18 (Bernama) -- Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) will benefit from about RM1 billion in offset projects from phase one of the MY Rapid Transit Project.

Mohd Yusoff Sulaiman, President and Chief Executive Officer Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) said the phase one MRT has about 32 to 40 projects.

"One project can have a few multipliers. We aim to match capable SMEs with the main contractors and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) identified to undertake the MRT project," he added.

He was speaking to reporters at the one-day offset awareness programme, "Business Opportunities for SMEs: MRT Offset Programme", organised by MIGHT, Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Corp Sdn Bhd and SME Corp Malaysia here.

The Offset programme is an opportunity to derive a greater benefit for SMEs in three forms, namely, technology transfer, local content and market access by providing a platform for OEMs and main contractors to explore potential SMEs to be linked with.

Mohd Yusoff said among the works and desired components from the SMEs include the manufacture of electric trains, signalling and train control system, power supply and distribution system and track works.

He also said other business opportunities that may arise includes the demand for property or housing, food and other services.

Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Corp Sdn Bhd and MIGHT have initiated the MRT Offset Programme for SMEs under the RM5 billion MRT project, to equalise the cost.

MIGHT's role as the Offset Management Unit for MRT Corp, is to plan, implement and monitor the programme implementation and it has currently identified nine offset projects for the SMEs.

The awareness programme today involved a briefing on opportunities and potential collaboration, followed by business-to-business networking sessions with major companies involved in the project, such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd, Konsortium Ansaldo STS Emrail and Meidensha Corporation Japan.

"The programme today will assist SMEs in boosting their visibility and capability among the major companies and we will work together to identify the qualified SMEs," Mohd Yusoff said.

The MRT project will be carried out in three phases, with the first phase being a 51 km track from Sungai Buloh to Kajang and involving more than 80 work packages.

-- BERNAMA