MyCEB support for business events
You are bringing or bidding for a conference in Malaysia and want to know what national support exists.
The short answer
The Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) publishes support programmes for conventions, exhibitions, corporate meetings and incentives, and international sporting events. Each has stated criteria and an application lead time, and most are written around international delegates.
Read the criteria against your event, then send MyCEB a short brief and ask which programme fits. The earlier you ask, the more options stay open.
The programmes MyCEB lists
| Programme | For | Stated criteria | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subvention Support (convention) | International conference organisers | International or homegrown conference with at least 150 international delegates (50 if ICCA listed), lasting at least 3 days | At least 12 months before the event |
| Event Support | Organisers of confirmed events in Malaysia | Regular, regional, international or homegrown event with at least 150 international delegates, lasting at least 3 days | At least 60 days before the event |
| Exhibition Support | Trade exhibition organisers | 3,000 to 4,000 sqm and 500 to 750 international trade visitors, as stated on the page | About 9 months before the event |
| Corporate Meetings & Incentives | Planners of visiting corporate groups | At least 100 international delegates staying at 4- or 5-star hotels for at least 2 nights, totalling 200 room nights | At least 30 days before arrival |
| International Sporting Events Support Programme | Organisers of international sporting events | At least 100 international participants with direct economic benefits | 3 months before the event |
Reading the criteria for your event
Every published programme counts international delegates, participants or visitors, so an event with only Malaysian attendance may need another route, such as a state convention bureau. Working with a state convention bureau explains that route.
If your numbers are close to a threshold, say so in your first message. MyCEB can tell you how it assesses your event and which programme, if any, applies.
MyCEB's Industry Partner Programme
Separate from event support, MyCEB runs an Industry Partner Programme. Its categories include professional conference organisers, professional exhibition organisers, destination management and event management. The page states that eligibility includes registration with the Companies Commission of Malaysia and current public liability insurance, that membership is complimentary, and that MyCEB may accept or decline any application.
If you hire a PCO or event company, you can ask whether it is an Industry Partner. See who does what: PCO, event company, DMC and venue.
How an association can approach MyCEB
- Confirm that the event is decided: dates or a date window, host city, expected international delegates and number of days.
- Check the programme table above and note which programme looks closest.
- Send a one-page brief using the event brief builder and ask which programme fits and how to apply.
- Ask what supporting documents MyCEB needs and how long it takes to respond.
- Keep the replies in your decision log, and build the lead time into your plan.
Confirm before you plan around support
Programme names, criteria and lead times can change, and MyCEB decides each case. Confirm the current terms with MyCEB before you build support into your budget. For the wider planning picture, see professional-event planning across Malaysia.
Worked example · Fictional example
A fictional regional congress
Fictional organisation and figures, for illustration only. Whether this event would qualify is for MyCEB to say.
The Persatuan Fiktif Pakar Radiologi Asia is considering a three-day congress in Kuala Lumpur with about 400 delegates, around 200 of them from overseas. The secretary notes the Subvention Support lead time of at least 12 months, sets the planning calendar to match, and sends MyCEB a one-page brief with three questions.
| Question for MyCEB | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Which programme fits a three-day congress with 200 international delegates? | Confirms the route before dates are fixed |
| What documents do you need and when? | Sets the lead time in the plan |
| Does a bid timeline apply? | Avoids missing a decision date |
Use this yourself
MyCEB enquiry checklist
Fill this in before you write to MyCEB. Write Not decided for anything still open.
- Organisation, event name and format:
- Host city, or cities under consideration:
- Dates or date window, and number of event days:
- Expected total delegates and expected international delegates:
- Whether the event is confirmed or still being bid for:
- The programme that looks closest in the table above:
- Application lead time for that programme and the date it falls on:
- Supporting documents MyCEB asks for:
- Who decides on your side, and the date you need an answer:
Handle it in-house, or bring in help?
Your team can usually handle this when
- Your event clearly meets a published criterion and the lead time is comfortable.
- Your secretariat can write a one-page brief and follow up.
- You are asking for information only.
Outside planning help earns its fee when
- You are unsure which programme fits or whether your numbers qualify.
- You are bidding against other cities and need a clean bid timeline.
- The application sits alongside venue, programme and budget decisions that all need coordinating.
Want the bid timeline and brief prepared?
A project lead can prepare the brief, map the programme lead times against your dates, coordinate the supporting documents and keep your committee on track from enquiry to decision. Send us your event details and dates, and we will reply with the level of support that fits and what it would cover. The work can be done remotely for events anywhere in Malaysia.
Questions organisers ask
Does MyCEB support domestic-only events?
The published programmes count international delegates, participants or visitors. Ask MyCEB which route suits an event with mainly Malaysian attendance, and consider a state convention bureau.
How early must I apply?
The page states 12 months for Subvention Support, 60 days for Event Support and 30 days for Corporate Meetings & Incentives. Confirm the figure for your event with MyCEB.
Do I need a PCO to apply?
The listed programmes are described for event organisers directly. Ask MyCEB if your programme has any requirement about who applies.
What is the Industry Partner Programme?
It is MyCEB's partner listing for venues, bureaus, event companies and suppliers, with eligibility set by MyCEB.
Related resources
Sources and check dates
- MyCEB Support Programmes, Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) (checked 2026-10-10). Subvention Support, Event Support, Exhibition Support, Corporate Meetings & Incentives and International Sporting Events Support Programme, with the eligibility figures and application lead times the page states and the contact addresses it lists.
- Industry Partner Programme, Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) (checked 2026-10-10). Partner categories include professional conference organisers, professional exhibition organisers, destination management and event management; eligibility includes registration with the Companies Commission of Malaysia and current public liability insurance; membership is complimentary; MyCEB may accept or decline any application.
Content record: Written by the EventConsultant team to our editorial rules. Sources are listed on pages that rely on them.