DUSHANBE, June 25, 2014, Asia-Plus -- Business consultant, Cottage Alliance Group (CAG), is providing a platform for Malaysian firms to capture rising economic and business opportunities in Central Asia, especially Tajikistan, Malaysian news agency Bernama reports.

CAG provides project management services, consultancy and business development opportunities and has been successfully connecting companies from Southeast Asia to Central Asia for the past three years.

Cottage Alliance Sdn Bhd Director Tan Lin Chung said CAG believed the official visit of Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon to Malaysia would open up more business opportunities and partnerships.

He told Bernama that Malaysian companies should explore the vast opportunities available in Tajikistan and much has been done by themselves in the pioneering stages following guidance given by the Malaysian Ambassador in the region, Abdul Aziz Harun.

Tan said CAG had the capability to lead Malaysian companies to capture business potentials in various industries from finance, energy, infrastructure and property development, mining, construction and healthcare built on strong connections with high-level government institutions in Tajikistan.

“This was spearheaded by our Tajikistan partners, General Suhrob Kasimov and Sherali Davlatov.

“CAG has succeeded in securing a 300 megawatt coal-fired power plant project in Tajikistan in 2012 by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between HOS International Trading Sdn Bhd and Ministry of Energy and Industry,” he said.

Subsequently, a second MoU was signed with the State Investment Committee of the Tajikistan government to undertake construction of the plant in the Shurab region of Tajikistan, he said.

He said this was solidified on October 25, 2013 by the signing of a concession agreement between the Tajikistan government and Malaysian company HOS International Trading Sdn Bhd to implement the project.

The official signing ceremony was held at Dushanbe, Tajikistan between Davlatali Saidov, the First Deputy Prime Minister of Tajikistan and Datuk Subramanian Retnavelu, Director of HOS International Trading Sdn Bhd.

Tan said the agreement was a firm step forward by the Tajikistan government and a Malaysian company to build the plant, which will generate electricity for the northern grids for domestic and export consumers by connecting Central Asia to South Asia via Energy Trade Project (CASA-1000) of World Bank.

Besides, Tan said CAG has also recently finalized all formalities on the opening of a first-ever Malaysian restaurant in Tajikistan with collaboration and support from the Export-Import Bank of Malaysia.

Realisation of this unique business initiative has become possible due to the professional and successful collaboration of Malaysian Executive Chef Mozart Muhammad from Chefs Association of Malaysia (a member of World Association of Chefs Societies) and partners from Tajikistan, he said.

The restaurant staff will comprise professional cooks from Malaysia under the management of seasoned Malaysian Chef who commands diverse skills in culinary and extensive experience in managing restaurant ventures.

Tan said the company was optimistic in first movers advantages to explore untapped potentials in the region, strongly supported by various government initiatives directed towards rapid economic development in the country.