AGENDA

Opening Ceremony

Welcome Address

YB Tuan Rafizi Ramli

Minister of Economy

Keynote Address

YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim

Prime Minister of Malaysia

Inauguration

FEM2025 Inauguration

Break

Fireside Chat

From "Made in Malaysia" to "Made by Malaysia"

The Minister of Economy shares his vision and a look-ahead on how the forces of industry, innovation and energy transition could be harnessed to shape Malaysia’s future.

Malaysia has successfully moved from agriculture-based to industrialisation - what is its next stage of development? How can it realistically shift to become a high-income, creator-based economy, from “Made in Malaysia” to “Made by Malaysia”, while elevating the country’s global brand and influence?

As part of this transformation, the Minister will also discuss the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), among others, potentially serving as a testbed and catalyst for deep tech and economic integration within ASEAN.

Dialogue

Chip War:

The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology

Break

Fiscal & Monetary Policies

Strategies

We discuss Malaysia's fiscal and monetary policy outlook amid global uncertainties, focusing on sustaining economic growth while managing inflation. Key highlights include Budget 2025, the Medium Term Fiscal Framework (2025-27), fiscal reforms especially on taxes and subsidies, and the central bank's monetary stance and macro-economic views.

The discussion also covers the path to achieving the Public Finance and Fiscal Responsibility Act's objectives, the impact of fiscal policy and market volatility on monetary policy decisions, and strategies for sustainably financing investment-driven growth.

In achieving the aims of the MADANI Economy with inclusive outcomes, we consider: mega-projects vs green infrastructure; the data centre boom; foreign and domestic direct investments; public-private partnerships; raising Malaysia's economic stature; increasing people's income; and balancing regional/state developments.

Energy Transition

Shifting to High Gear

This session explores Malaysia's energy transition as a multi-year catalyst for transforming the economy towards sustainable, higher value growth. By focusing on policies and catalysts, the discussion delves into what more must be done, accelerated and wind down to signal seriousness in energy transition.

We firstly take stock of Malaysia’s National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR), its progress, obstacles and potential scope for expansion. What must be in place to further de-risk energy transition efforts, bridge funding gaps, strengthen the role of carbon markets, and accelerate investments to scale up?

While we consider carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) and green hydrogen, what are the promising, still untapped new energy sources and main barriers to adoption?

What is the investment direction of leading oil and gas, and utility players in accelerating the shift towards energy transition?

As the US government may roll back climate change initiatives and following outcomes of COP29, how can ASEAN become the next major destination for sustainability investments?

Technology

Breaking Out

The discussion will be anchored on how Malaysia could adopt unconventional strategies to innovate as it stands on the cusp of transformative growth, with aspirations to become a regional technology hub for Southeast Asia as outlined in its national plans, keeping in mind the country remains in the middle-income trap, with limited time to realise its goal of achieving high-income status by 2028. Innovation is no longer optional but an imperative—a vital engine to drive Malaysia’s leap into a future of sustained economic growth and global competitiveness.

While examining the current state of Malaysia’s innovation ecosystem, we focus on the roles of government, academia, industry, talent, and infrastructure in creating a dynamic, mutually reinforcing network. How do these stakeholders interact, and where are the gaps and opportunities for alignment to foster a high-performing ecosystem?

The panellists will also explore Malaysia’s competitive edge in high-impact sectors such as semiconductors, renewable energy, agriculture, and Islamic finance, while identifying other underutilised areas ripe for disruptive innovation. How can we address the challenges of scaling investible companies and then creating a robust innovation system to catalyse entrepreneurial growth? What are actionable strategies for Malaysia to fully harness innovation as a driver of inclusive prosperity and technological leadership?

Trade Policy

Global Protectionism, Tariff Walls & Geopolitics

Protectionism and tariff walls are rising, set off by an intensifying US-China trade and tech rivalry. The European Union is raising tariffs on China’s electric vehicles, while several ASEAN countries are introducing trade barriers to protect small domestic firms from a flood of cheap Chinese products. National security, self-sufficiency and technological leadership are becoming important drivers of trade policy.

Advanced nations are pursuing more active trade policies and subsidising key tech sectors, particularly semiconductors, electric vehicles and renewables. How relevant is the World Trade Organization (WTO)? Should ASEAN respond with similar protectionist measures and pursue more active industrial policies, or remain open and play by WTO rules?

What are the strategies for ASEAN to act as a collective in navigating these challenges and geopolitical risks? How can ASEAN as a regional economic bloc remain relevant in an increasingly protectionist world?

Networking