04/06/2025

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WEDNESDAY | JUNE 4, 2025

Negeri initiatives to woo high-growth investments

EPF: Investment income of RM18.31b in first quarter

Ű BY JOHN GILBERT sunbiz@thesundaily.com

o State focuses on four key industries in central region, anchored by development of Malaysia Vision Valley 2.0 encompassing Seremban and Port Dickson districts

KUALA LUMPUR: Negeri Sembilan will continue efforts to attract more investments, particularly in high-growth areas under the Central Region Industrial Cluster Develop ment Initiative.

PETALING JAYA: The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) recorded a total investment income of RM18.31 billion for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025 (Q1’25), a 13% decline from RM20.99 billion in the corresponding period in 2024. The total investment income includes RM1.02 billion mark-to-market gains on securities that have not been realised, due to foreign exchange rate fluctuations. In line with the EPF’s policy, these gains will not be distributable as dividends. During the quarter under review, equities contributed RM10.81 billion, a 23% decline from RM14.02 billion in Q1’24. The drop was mainly due to weaker performance across global equity markets and a challenging investment climate. The asset class continued to be the highest contributor, accounting for 59% of total investment income. Fixed income continued to anchor capital preservation, contributing RM5.99 billion or 33% of total investment income. Fixed income, comprising Malaysian Government Securities and equivalents, loans and bonds, continues to fulfil its dual mandate of delivering stable returns and as a counter-balance to equity market fluctuations. This underscores its strategic importance in safeguarding members’ savings across market cycles. Real estate and infrastructure recorded an income of RM1.08 billion in Q1’25, while money market instruments generated RM430 million, in line with return expectations for these asset classes. Of the total investment income, RM15.87 billion was generated for Simpanan Konvensional , and RM2.44 billion for Simpanan Shariah . As of March 2025, the EPF’s total investment assets stood at RM1.26 trillion, with 38% invested internationally. During the period, international investments generated RM8 billion or 44% of the total investment income. The EPF’s domestic investments, which account for 62% of total assets, continued to provide long-term income stability through dividends, interests and profits from sukuk. The EPF said in a statement it remains committed to supporting Malaysia’s eco nomic growth by continuing to invest over 70% of its annual allocation in the domestic market. This reflects its role as a long-term investor and aligns with the government’s Madani Economy framework. Through the GEAR-uP initiative, the EPF is focused on building investment opportunities in the healthcare sector. EPF CEO Ahmad Zulqarnain Onn said: “In a more challenging and uncertain market environment, the EPF maintains a dynamic and well-diversified portfolio to help safeguard value and manage downside risks. We continue to actively explore investment opportunities across both domestic and international markets to strengthen our portfolio and support long-term, sustainable returns for our members.”

Industrial Park in Parcel A is under way. The overall development of Parcel A, which also includes Labu, New Labu and Kirby estates, will need to be coordinated with the construction of the new Nilai–Labu–Enstek road, which is now in progress. Parcel B, a smart county in Labu, is planned as a major new township in the Seremban district. It will feature residential, commercial, and industrial zones, along with education and innovation hubs – forming a connected, resilient ecosystem that aims to boost quality of life and create inclusive economic opportunities. Parcel C in Port Dickson, an integrated industrial hub, is a key driver of Negeri Sembilan’s economic growth, combining high-tech industries with logistics infrastructure. Parcel D, an integrated maritime hub and waterfront corridor in coastal Port Dickson, is set to boost shipping, port and logistics activities. To attract more investment, the state also plans to develop an AI-powered container port in Parcel E in Pasir Panjang, offering a viable alternative to the congested Port Klang. The proposal has received approval from the Ministry of Transport. Meanwhile, Parcel F in Senawang, branded as NS Semiconductor Valley, is capitalising on rising demand in the semiconductor sector. The area is forming a strong high-tech ecosystem and has already drawn interest from major investors, including Samsung SDI Energy Malaysia. “Under the MVV 2.0 development covering Seremban and Port Dickson, a total of 12 new industrial zones will be developed across 8,423.28 acres. These include the Hamilton Industrial Park and Vision Business Park in Parcels A and B by Sime Darby Property, as well as MVV City – a mixed-use development in Parcel B by Matrix Concepts Holdings Bhd and the Negeri Sembilan State Corporation,” Aminuddin said. Gobind said a CISO also plays a crucial role in shaping and driving a security-first culture within an organisation by promoting continuous training and certification, while ensuring that all systems and technologies in use adhere to established security standards. The C-CISO programme covers five main domains – governance, security audit, data protection, operations management and strategic planning – which Gobind described as a long-term investment in the development of the country’s digital leadership. “If in the past, the strength of a country was measured through the military, today it depends on the security and trust in digital systems. Digital defence is the main pillar of the country’s prosperity and stability,” he said. – Bernama

He stated that a continuous public-private partnership app roach will drive this development to become a key catalyst for the state’s progress. “We aspire to develop MVV 2.0 into a world-class metropolis that is competitive, inclusive, and sustainable. In its early phase, the focus will be on developing industrial areas to attract new investments to Negeri Sembilan. “The state government will lead the entire development to

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun ( pic ) said the state obtained in-principle app roval from the National Investment Council on Oct 16, 2024, for Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Malacca and Kuala Lumpur to establish a distinct industrial cluster identity within the manufacturing sector. He said this initiative seeks to drive targeted investments through interstate collaboration and stra tegic partnerships. “The initiative focuses on four

ensure it stays aligned with the initiatives outlined in the MVV 2.0 Comprehensive Development Plan. “The project centres around four key economic drivers: high-tech manufacturing, wellness and medical tourism, skills-based education and research, and specialised services. Phase one of MVV 2.0 will span 30 years and cover a development area of 27,000 acres,” he said. MVV 2.0’s development will be carried out in key zones, including a technology park in Nilai (Parcel A), a “smart county” in Labu (Parcel B), an integrated industrial hub in Tanah Merah and Bukit Pelanduk, Port Dickson (Parcel C), an integrated maritime hub and waterfront corridor along the Port Dickson coastline (Parcel D), PD Free Zone and AI smart container port in Port Dickson (Parcel E) and the NS Semiconductor Valley in Senawang (Parcel F). In line with the state government’s priorities, the first phase of this catalytic development will focus on establishing a high tech industrial park. This initial project will be developed in Parcel A, Nilai, within the Hamilton Estate area near the Seremban R&R along the North-South Expressway. Construction work for the Hamilton

key industries in the central region – electrical and electronics, semiconductors, pharma ceuticals and medical devices, food technology and aerospace. “This effort aligns with the New Industrial Master Plan 2030, which aims to attract more effective foreign and domestic investments into the region,” he told delegates at a luncheon talk themed “Negeri Sembilan – The Next Smart Frontier” hosted by MBSB Group yesterday. Aminuddin said Negeri Sembilan recorded RM7.25 billion in approved investments in 2024, a significant increase that is expected to create more than 4,600 job opportunities across the state. In 2022, the state’s gross domestic product stood at RM50.9 billion, increasing by 1.8% in 2023 to RM51.9 billion, primarily driven by the services sector, which contributed 52.9%, followed by the manufacturing sector at 37.8%. Other sectors that supported Negeri Sembilan’s economy included agriculture, construction, mining and quarrying. Aminuddin said that the main development agenda for Negeri Sembilan is Malaysia Vision Valley 2.0 (MVV 2.0), a long-term, compre hensive growth plan encompassing the districts of Seremban and Port Dickson.

Aim to have 100 cybersecurity experts accredited as C-CISO by year-end KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Digital is targeting at least 100 cybersecurity experts to be accredited as Certified Chief Information Security Officers (C-CISO) by the end of this year, said Minister Gobind Singh Deo. launching the Cyber Security Professional Capa bility Development Programme here. He said the programme would also be expanded to other sectors to ensure local talents in the field of cybersecurity could continue to be polished and developed continuously. strategic link between the government, industry, technology providers and the NCII community,” he said.

He said that through the C-CISO Certification Programme, the ministry is committed to producing more talents and experts in the field, to strengthen the public sector’s preparedness against cyber threats. The initiative, he said, was implemented through a strategic collaboration with the EC Council and the Human Resource Development Corporation, with the first seven participants receiving the certification yesterday. “Our target is that by the end of this year, we can produce a total of 100 C-CISOs as a start and moving forward, we want to see more people showing interest and participating in this programme,” he told a press conference after

Earlier in his speech, Gobind said the certification programme is one of the key components in supporting the implementation of the Cyber Security Act 2024 (Act 854), especially among National Critical Infrastructure (NCII) entities. As a CISO, the person holds a strategic role in ensuring the organisation’s compliance with the provisions under Act 854, he added. “The responsibilities of the CISO include formulating cybersecurity policies, implementing technical controls, risk management and organisational preparedness in dealing with cyber incidents, in addition to serving as a