On the heels of the roaring success of the 38th Trade Expo Indonesia (TEI) 2023, the Indonesian Embassy at Phnom Penh hosted a lavish dinner on October 31, to honour the very first Cambodian winner of the esteemed Primaduta Award. The exclusive business dinner saw the presentation of the award to Bunly Kim, Director of Kabbas by the Indonesian Ambassador to Cambodia, Dr Santo Darmosumarto.
Starting its stint with Indonesian exports as far back as 2009, Kabbas has only recently stepped up its efforts at boosting numbers. Among the products it deals with are snacks, beverages and household paper products.
Adding diplomatic prestige to the occasion was Samheng Bora, Secretary of State, Minister of Commerce of Cambodia, who also spoke at the event. Other distinguished names gracing the event were Dalton Wong, President of Indonesian Chamber of Commerce (IndoCham) and Madam Keo Mom, CEO of Lyly Food Industry.
“It is very hard to express my feelings right now and my excitement has shot through the roof. It is a great honour to be the representative for Kabbas company to receive The Primaduta Award 2023. This achievement has marked a new milestone for corporate Cambodia. I hope that this recognition serves as an inspiration for all of us to push the boundaries of what is possible and continue to strive for excellence in our respective fields,” Kim told Khmer Times.
Expressing optimism at the buoyant trade scenario between the two neighbouring ASEAN nations, ambassador Dr Sarmosumarto spoke highly of the age-old ties between the two countries.
“Historical ties existed before modern times, and connections have always existed between the kingdoms that existed in Cambodia and those in Indonesia. We saw in modern times the young Cambodian nation and the young Indonesian nation, post-colonialism striving to build themselves up as new modern states. We were both under colonial rule and Indonesia supported the peace process in Cambodia. Historical connection is why we are seeing some of the future cooperation strengthening between our two countries,” he added.
“Indonesia is basically the largest country in the region and it will always stand as a large trading partner for us. We share many similarities as we are both very highly agricultural countries. As a bilateral partner Indonesia will continue to be important to Cambodia,” said Samheng Bora.
No fewer than 23 corporate players from across the globe scored wins at the Primaduta Awards, with Kabbas bagging the honour of the Best Performing Importer. The winners were announced at the opening ceremony of the 38th Trade Expo Indonesia (TEI) on October 18, 2023.
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