The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) has identified 240 high-profile foreign investment projects in the manufacturing and services sectors with a combined potential investment value of RM81.8 billion that are being negotiated and targeted in 2021. MIDA has thus far received and evaluated RM47.7 billion worth of potential investments into the country.

The United Nations Commission on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has released earlier this week its latest Global Investment Trend Monitor report. It estimated that Global Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flow fell by 42 per cent to an estimated USD859 billion in 2020 compared to USD1.5 trillion recorded in 2019. Almost all regions reported lower FDI in 2020, mainly due to the impact of lockdowns and a drastic decrease in the economic activities during the COVID-19 pandemic

What’s in store for ASEAN under the new Biden administration? On 28 January, AMCHAM’s CEO Siobhan Das was invited as one of the panelists on Astro AWANI |LINC’s discussion on the subject of Opportunities for ASEAN Businesses in the Biden Era.

AMCHAM’s CEO, Siobhan Das was invited to be one of the presenters at the inaugural KSInsights titled “What Does President Biden Mean for Malaysia?” held on January 27. Each panelist provided their comments on the much talked about topic at the moment – what it means for Asia under the Biden administration?

Last month, our Malaysia team shone at the National Real Estate Awards held by the Malaysian Institute of Estate Agents (MIEA) by clinching the title Commercial Real Estate Firm of the Year for the fourth consecutive time since 2017. Notable achievements in 2019 included the sale of AEON Mall Kinta City, the largest mall transaction of the year in excess of RM208 million, the sale of 21-storey Manara AmMetLife, and the leasing of office space over 1 million square feet.

Over the last decade, Malaysia has seen substantial progress in its ambitions to be a thriving hub for businesses that want a facilitative base that allows for a broad reach into Southeast Asia. The country’s business-friendly environment, agile and multilingual workforce, excellent infra­structure and conducive regulations are just some of the reasons multinational corporations (MNCs) and home-grown companies make Malaysia their regional base.

The Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) has launched the Alternative Funding Programme and will partner with 11 crowdfunding operators to help entrepreneurs tide over the economic challenges brought on by COVID-19. This follows the successful launch of the same programme last year which saw a total of 16 companies successfully listed on participating platforms with a total of RM19.89 million raised.

We are pleased to inform you that we have extended the deadline of the AmChamREPRESENT Awards 2021 to 5 February 2021.

The AmChamREPRESENT Awards 2021 recognize and showcase business excellence across four categories: (1) Leadership Transformation; (2) Digital Transformation; (3) Business Transformation; and (4) Human Capital Transformation. Winners will be announced at the AmChams of Asia Pacific (AAP) Business Summit from March 9-11, 2021.

AMCHAM member companies are eligible to apply for the awards. Please submit your application to highlight the exceptional work of your business and leaders and stand a chance to receive global recognition.

Find out more about the award categories, eligibility, and assessment criteria by clicking here.

Join the region’s largest AmCham event of 2021 from 9-11 March for a rare opportunity to engage with industry leaders and government representatives from the U.S. and across the Asia Pacific region.

All morning plenary sessions will be taking place virtually, with afternoon in-person industry breakout discussions for each of the 14 AmCham Committees to be held at Marina Bay Sands Singapore.

Purchase your virtual pass now and enjoy early bird prices until January 31, 2021. Tickets for the afternoon in-person events are pending government approval, and we will notify you once registration for the in-person tickets is live.

Companies thrive because of their support and control functions, not in spite of them. The accountants who meticulously ensure the numbers are right, the lawyers who sniff out the dangers in bad contracts, the safety officers and the human resources pros who safeguard integrity and brand equity. Support and control functions like HR, finance, risk, legal, and tax build a business environment in which it is safe to experiment and innovate.