KUALA LUMPUR — The Malaysian Franchise Association is starting a major campaign to boost the local franchise business ecosystem through specialized vocational education.
Consequently, the association is prioritizing Technical and Vocational Education and Training, known as TVET. To achieve this, the group is working directly with Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) to create training programs. According to MFA Chairman Datuk Dr Radzali Hassan, building highly skilled human capital will help local brands grow much faster.
Furthermore, several major global and local brands have already integrated these practical training systems into their daily business operations. For example, household names like 7-Eleven, McDonald’s, and Marrybrown successfully run TVET initiatives. Therefore, the association expects many other companies to follow their lead after seeing positive results.
In addition to local training, the association wants to position Malaysia as a regional hub for business education. Specifically, the group plans to launch the ASEAN University Franchise Business Challenge. This project involves close partnerships with franchise groups in the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Singapore. The competition aims to discover and support young business talent across Southeast Asia.
Meanwhile, these big announcements took place during the opening of the Franchise International Malaysia 2026 expo. The massive three-day event runs from May 21 to May 23. Excitingly, organizers expect to welcome over 25,000 visitors. They also project that the event will generate more than RM600 million in business transactions.
Finally, the grand opening marked several important milestones for the local industry. For instance, the association celebrated its very first batch of Certified Franchise Executive graduates. The group also signed three official partnership agreements with major government agencies. Specifically, these agencies include the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia, Pernas, and MARA.
