Rebecca Fatima Sta Maria
Secretary-General, Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Malaysia
Political is the key to achieving ASEAN Economic Community
About Rebecca Fatima Sta. Maria
Rebecca Fatima Sta. Maria, is the Secretary General of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI). Prior to this appointment, she was the MITI Deputy Secretary General of Trade. In this capacity, she was involved in handling trade related matters of the Ministry, including administering Malaysia’s interests under bilateral and regional Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), as well as Malaysia’s engagements in various international organisations such as ASEAN, APEC and WTO. She also served at various divisions in MITI namely, Senior Director of the Investment Policy Division, Director of the Investment Policy and Manufacturing Related Services Division and Director of the Strategic Planning Division. Prior to her appointment to MITI she served as the Senior Project Coordinator at the Leadership Centre, National Institute of Public Administration (INTAN). She began her career in the Administrative and Diplomatic Service in 1981 and served in various capacities in the then Ministry of Trade and Industry. In 1988 she was seconded to the ASEAN Plant Quarantine and Training Centre as its Chief Administration and Procurement Officer. She is married and has a 19 year old daughter, Raisa Menon.