SAY Aspire Spotlights Local SMEs' Global Potential
- On Sept. 2, Selangor Youth Community’s SAY Aspire programme named five winning SMEs in Subang Jaya, spotlighting businesses organisers said were ready for global expansion. - RHJ Tijarah Sdn Bhd won first place, with managing director Siti Hajar Harun saying the business began from her hajj and umrah skincare experience. - The five winners will receive SAY incentives, including development programmes and opportunities to explore export markets, state executive councillor Mohd Najwan Halimi said.
Selangor Youth Community’s SAY Aspire programme named five winning small and medium-sized enterprises in Subang Jaya on Sept. 2, with organisers framing the finalists as businesses ready to expand beyond Malaysia. Mohd Najwan Halimi, Selangor’s state executive councillor for youth, sports and entrepreneurship, said the winners included companies in sectors ranging from skincare to AI-related services. The final was held at Sunway Resort Hotel, where Raja Muda Selangor Tengku Amir Shah also attended and presented prizes. Organisers said the winners would receive accreditation, development support and access tied to export-market exploration. ### Which companies were selected at the SAY Aspire final? RHJ Tijarah Sdn Bhd took first place at the seventh edition of the programme, according to Media Selangor’s Sept. 2 report and matching event coverage carried by other outlets. Hokido Shop Enterprise placed second, Dataverse Sdn Bhd third, Nutrivera Manufacturing Sdn Bhd fourth and Go Advanced Sdn Bhd fifth. Sunway Resort Hotel in Subang Jaya hosted the final round on Sept. 2, according to Media Selangor and a same-day event note from Dewan Perniagaan Melayu Malaysia. (mediaselangor.com) The chamber’s note placed the event at Lagoon 1, Level 15, Sunway Resort Hotel, Petaling Jaya, while Media Selangor’s reporting described the coverage dateline as Subang Jaya. ### Why did RHJ Tijarah stand out to judges? Siti Hajar Harun, RHJ Tijarah’s managing director, said she started the business from her own experience performing umrah and hajj. (mediaselangor.com) She said products already in the market left skin dry and burned and did not provide enough protection, according to event coverage republished by Newswav from Media Selangor material. RHJ Tijarah received a RM10,000 business grant along with a trophy and certificate, according to same-day local coverage. (mediaselangor.com) Siti Hajar said the win opened opportunities to promote the business and hold commercial discussions in selected countries. ### What did Selangor officials say the programme is for? Mohd Najwan Halimi said all five winners had distinct strengths and the capacity to grow, including in AI services. (newswav.com) He said the companies would receive incentives from SAY in the form of programmes or opportunities to explore global markets and export their products. Media Selangor’s English-language report said the winners were given not only recognition but also opportunities to explore global markets through development programmes and export access. (mymntnews.com) That description is consistent with how the programme has been presented in earlier years, when organisers said SAY Aspire was built to help Selangor-based youth entrepreneurs scale into overseas markets. ### How does this year’s event fit into the wider SAY Aspire programme? (mediaselangor.com) The Sept. 2 final was billed as SAY Aspire’s seventh edition in same-day coverage. Earlier editions of the programme have focused on youth-led micro, small and medium enterprises in Selangor, with finalists receiving training, mentoring and market-access support before a final selection round. A 2025 Media Selangor report said SAY Aspire had helped more than 150 entrepreneurs pursue global-market access. (newswav.com) That figure provides the latest available benchmark in public reporting for the programme’s scale before this year’s final. ### What happens next for the five winners? The five winners are set to move into the incentive phase described by Mohd Najwan Halimi, with export-oriented programmes and market-exploration opportunities attached to their selection. (newswav.com) Public reporting on Sept. 2 did not specify countries, timelines or investment amounts beyond the first-prize grant reported for RHJ Tijarah. Selangor Youth Community’s next public milestone is likely to be the rollout of those support programmes for RHJ Tijarah, Hokido Shop Enterprise, Dataverse, Nutrivera Manufacturing and Go Advanced, based on the structure described in same-day coverage and prior editions. (mediaselangor.com) (newswav.com)
