The Kedah government wants to use Melaka's success in various fields, especially tourism and administration, as a model to develop Kedah.

Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Tun Dr Mahathir, who is on a three-day visit here from today, said it was because Melaka was a state that was the focus of foreign investors from various industries, including automotive.

"I consider working visits within the country as vital because sometimes we prefer foreign trips, whereas in our own country are many industry leaders with experience, which is actually very relevant for the country's development and progress."

He said this to reporters after opening the Kedah Entrepreneurs' Exhibition in conjunction with the Kedah government's transformation programme, at the MITC Mydin hypermarket, here, stoday.

Also present was Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron.

The three-day exhibition displays various health and food products involving 24 entrepreneurs from Kedah and four from Melaka.

Mukhruiz said the state government also wanted to see how Melaka developed its tourism sector, so as to be emulated not only by Langkawi Island but also the mainland of Kedah.

The initiative was one of the "ice-breaking" programmes implemented by the state with an emphasis on role models within the country that could be emulated in efforts to rebrand Kedah Darul Aman in various aspects, he said.