Sustained interest from US investors
American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce chief executive officer Datuk Siobhan M. Das.
KUALA LUMPUR: There is sustained interest coming from the United States companies looking to invest in Malaysia amidst the US-China trade tensions.
American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce chief executive officer Datuk Siobhan M. Das said the chamber sees interests coming from sectors where traditional investments were attracting.
'I think the attractiveness over the last five years which we have seen grow exponentially is still going to continue. It is a question of what will land in Malaysia. So I think the US-China tensions again go back to providing opportunities.
'The amount of investments that have landed in Malaysia is significant.
'The United States is probably the largest investor (in Malaysia) right now,' she told Bernama in an interview. Siobhan was a guest on Bernama TV's The Nation programme entitled In Focus: Malaysia-US Trade Relations hosted by Jessy Chahal yesterday.
Currently, more than 600 American companies have a presence in Malaysia.
Siobhan said that over the last five years, the sectors that had consistently attracted American investments were the ones of high value, high technology and sectors that required specialty and quality to come out of their investments, which Malaysia is perfectly placed to do.
'Malaysia is perfectly equipped to be able to deliver in that space. The sectors, including electrical and electronics of which semiconductors is a part of, remain paramount.
'Building on that medical technology, you have seen a massive influx of medical technology companies that are here, aerospace, chemicals, and information and communications technology, are growing as well,' she added.
Beyond that, Malaysia has a lot of opportunities for new industries such as critical minerals. — Bernama
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
17 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
Asean targets US$2tri digital economy under new strategic plan
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is pushing the Asean Economic Community (AEC) strategic plan aimed at positioning the region as the world's fourth-largest economic bloc by 2030, with a target to double Asean's digital economy to an estimated US$2 trillion (RM8.46 trillion). Investment, Trade, and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz described the plan as a "blueprint for regional economic transformation" that will drive sustainable growth and deeper integration. "This plan represents a new chapter in Asean's economic journey, structured to respond to evolving business needs and emerging challenges while ensuring policies remain dynamic and relevant," he said at the Regional Socialisation of the AEC Strategic Plan under the Asean Community Vision 2045, held here today. The AEC Strategic Plan, succeeding the AEC Blueprint 2025, is organised into five-year cycles leading up to 2045, serving as a comprehensive roadmap for implementing the economic dimensions of the Asean Community Vision 2045. Tengku Zafrul said the first phase of the plan, spanning 2026-2030, is a critical step in harnessing Asean's vast potential and enhancing its resilience. Central to the plan is the ambition to enhance intra-Asean trade by fostering greater interconnectedness within the single market for goods, services, and investments. "Reducing non-trade barriers is pivotal to unlocking Asean's full trade potential, strengthening competitiveness, and building resilience against external shocks," Tengku Zafrul said. The digital economy stands out as a key focus of the strategic plan, with its doubling to US$2 trillion projected to bring transformative benefits to businesses across the region. Tengku Zafrul highlighted how this initiative will empower small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and accelerate innovation. "This forward-looking framework underscores Asean's readiness to embrace digital transformation and adapt to a rapidly changing global landscape," he said. The plan also reaffirms Asean's dedication to market openness, countering the trend of isolationism seen in some global economies. Tengku Zafrul stressed the importance of diversifying Asean's economic relationships by strengthening ties with both traditional partners and emerging markets. "This approach will reduce over-reliance on select economies and enhance Asean's macroeconomic resilience," he added.
New Straits Times
18 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
Malaysia braces for "tough" tariff talks with US, readies fallback offer
KUALA LUMPUR: The upcoming tariff negotiations between Malaysia and the United States will be "tough" but essential to reinforce both countries' complementary trade ties, said Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz. He said the ministry's Deputy Secretary-General (Trade), Mastura Ahmad Mustafa, who has been appointed chief negotiator, would lead on the technical groundwork ahead of the talks, allowing him to focus on strategic-level discussions. "I'll be going to the US with our chief negotiator, Mastura. Negotiations have been ongoing virtually, but a physical meeting is necessary," he said at a press conference during the Regional Socialisation of the AEC Strategic Plan under the Asean Community Vision 2045. "If Mastura manages to settle most of the technical matters, there will be less on my plate. But it's not going to be easy, and that's the reality. What's important is to demonstrate that the Malaysia-US trade and investment relationship is complementary. We are not undercutting or competing against the US," he added. Tengku Zafrul will travel to Washington on June 18 to resume negotiations over tariffs imposed on Malaysian goods. He is scheduled to meet US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, as well as other officials from the US administration and investors. Meanwhile, Mastura told Business Times that Malaysia is prepared to present a fallback proposal in its ongoing tariff negotiations with the US should Washington deem its original offer "insufficient". She said Malaysia's upcoming engagement in Washington would be a timely opportunity to re-engage US officials after earlier talks were postponed. "I believe the US is currently more focused on its court cases and negotiations with China. They had earlier postponed our physical meeting," she said on the sidelines of the event held here, today. "We will take the opportunity of the minister's visit to meet with them and get their feedback on our initial offer. If that's not sufficient for them to consider, we're ready with a second layer of proposals to keep the negotiations moving," she added. Mastura did not disclose the details of either the initial or fallback offer. Earlier, on April 24, Tengku Zafrul led a high-level delegation to Washington, where he held talks with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Greer. During that meeting, Tengku Zafrul stressed the importance of sustained engagement and reiterated Malaysia's commitment to finding constructive solutions to the concerns raised by the US. Malaysia has expressed its readiness to negotiate in four key areas, namely narrowing the trade deficit, addressing non-tariff barriers, strengthening technology protection and security and exploring the potential for a bilateral trade agreement. On April 2, US President Donald Trump announced tariff measures affecting around 60 countries, including a 24 per cent levy on most Malaysian goods. However, the tariffs have been temporarily suspended for 90 days, with the exemption set to expire on July 8.
Daily Express
18 minutes ago
- Daily Express
Investors hesitant amid global economic concerns, says Tengku Zafrul
Published on: Thursday, June 12, 2025 Published on: Thu, Jun 12, 2025 By: Minderjeet Kaur, FMT Text Size: Investment, trade and industry minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz said it is becoming increasingly difficult to make projections on investments. (Bernama pic) Kuala Lumpur: Foreign investors are taking a cautious approach towards new investments in Malaysia due to global economic uncertainties, investment, trade and industry minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz said today. He warned that attracting new investors would be challenging in the current climate, noting that while existing investors in Malaysia remained committed, newcomers were showing hesitation. Advertisement 'Those who have committed have not pulled out. But the ones that have not committed are now thinking (whether to invest or not),' he told reporters during the regional launch of the Asean Economic Community Strategic Plan 2026–2030. He also said it was becoming increasingly difficult to make projections on investments. 'When we have discussions with companies, we understand their concerns. Many (investors) are adopting a wait-and-see approach due to the dynamic geopolitical situation, especially between the US and China. 'New companies looking to invest want to assess the global situation first,' Tengku Zafrul added. When asked about Malaysia's RM89 billion in approved investments in the first quarter of the year – up 3.7% from the same period last year – Tengku Zafrul said it was 'pleasantly surprising' given typical first-quarter sluggishness. 'In terms of foreign investment, it is almost 70% of the investment. And at the same time, we see that the biggest sector is services, especially the digital economy,' he added. Tengku Zafrul is expected to travel to Washington on June 18 to continue negotiations over the US tariffs imposed on Malaysian goods. He said the Malaysian government hopes to persuade Washington to reduce import duties for certain sectors to below 10%. 'We also want to ensure that our local companies exporting to the US – especially in sectors such as furniture and downstream palm oil – are taken into account,' Tengku Zafrul said, adding that these sectors 'are not really in competition' with American industries. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
