06/02/2026

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FRIDAY | FEB 6, 2026

‘CFA will spur low-carbon investments in Malaysia’

interest from investors, corporates, SMEs and the wider public in attending FEM. “I was told that we received close to 5,000 registrations, with strong representation across the ecosystem. This includes institutional investors managing a combined US$7.3 trillion (RM28.8 trillion) in assets under management, as well as corporates with a total market capitalisation of US$226 billion.” He said the FEM plays a role by bringing stakeholders together to generate evidence based solutions that can be translated into actionable recommendations for national planning and FEM 2026 will focus on priorities that will shape our economy for years to come. “First, how AI and technology can raise productivity, improve public services, and create new industries, second, how the energy transition can progress while keeping energy affordable and reliable, third, how health and housing reforms can strengthen equitable access and quality living standards, fourth, how trade and investment can remain competitive, attract high-value capital, and expand exports and lastly how we prepare a future-ready workforce, addressing demographic realities such as an ageing population while nurturing future talent,” said Akmal. Digital Ministry wants full commitment to data sharing via MyGDX platform PUTRAJAYA: The Digital Ministry has called on all government agencies and departments to make a full commitment to enhancing data sharing through the Malaysian Government Central Data Exchange (MyGDX) platform to accelerate public service delivery and drive the national digitalisation agenda. In a statement issued yesterday, the ministry described seamless data interoperability as a strategic measure to break down bureaucratic barriers and tackle inefficiencies caused by the continued existence of isolated data management practices, often referred to as data silos, across the public sector. It noted that past reliance on manual data collection and verification from separate systems had not only placed a burden on civil servants but also resulted in inconsistent information, a higher risk of human error, and delays in processing eligibility assessments and application approvals. “Relying on physical documentation restricts access to real-time data, which is essential for modern public administration. This, in turn, makes it difficult for citizens to fully track the progress of their applications,” the statement added. In response, the ministry is urging departmental leaders to treat these challenges as an opportunity to pursue broader digital transformation via MyGDX. According to the ministry, the intelligent collaboration enabled by MyGDX will allow civil servants to move away from repetitive clerical work and data coordination, refocusing their efforts on delivering high impact services to the public. Simultaneously, implementing the Once-Only Principle via the platform is set to provide citizens with direct benefits, eliminating the need to repeatedly submit physical documents to multiple government agencies. – Bernama

Ű BY DEEPALAKSHMI MANICKAM sunbiz@thesundaily.com

o Liew says UK-backed Climate Financing Accelerator will help channel private capital into such projects

KUALA LUMPUR: The UK-backed Climate Finance Accelerator (CFA) is expected to help channel private capital into Malaysia’s low carbon transition by making climate projects more attractive to investors, Deputy Finance Minister Liew Chin Tong said yesterday. He said while there is no shortage of capital in Kuala Lumpur, the challenge lies in framing and articulating climate-related projects in a way that resonates with both domestic and global investors. “There is no shortage of money in Kuala Lumpur. The challenge is how to channel capital into climate causes, how to frame it and articulate it, not just for domestic audiences, but also for global investors,” Liew said at the launch of the CFA Malaysia programme. CFA Malaysia, funded by the UK government, was launched by Liew and British High Commissioner to Malaysia Ajay Sharma at an event attended by financiers, climate project developers and industry stakeholders. Liew said the programme is timely as Malaysia enters a phase where it can “leapfrog” in climate-related development rather than grow in a linear manner. “To leapfrog, one of the many areas Malaysia can move fast in is climate-related projects to build Malaysia as a role model for delivering climate solutions.” The accelerator aims to address one of the biggest bottlenecks in climate finance the gap between promising ideas and bankable projects. Since 2020, the CFA has supported more than 200 climate ventures globally and helped mobilise close to US$500 million (RM1.97 billion) in investment. Liew outlined four areas where Malaysia could build local expertise and scalable climate solutions. These include accelerating energy transition through energy efficiency and renewable adoption, reimagining cities to reduce

there, but turning them into investment-ready propositions is not always easy. “Too often, good projects struggle not because they lack potential, but because proposals aren’t ready for investors.” He said the CFA was designed to bridge that gap by offering practical, tailored support to help entrepreneurs strengthen business models, articulate climate impact and connect with relevant investors. “Finance is the fuel that turns ambition into action, and much of that fuel sits in the private sector,” Sharma said, adding that Malaysia’s strong economic fundamentals, dynamic startup ecosystem and commitment to net-zero emissions position it well to scale climate solutions. CFA Malaysia’s call for proposals is open until March 6, with up to 15 businesses expected to be selected. Eligible companies must be at least at the pre-feasibility stage and seeking minimum of US$5 million in investment. Selected participants will receive three to four months of technical assistance from financial, technical and gender equality, disability and inclusion experts, before pitching to climate investors at an event in Kuala Lumpur in November. PwC Malaysia managing partner Soo Hoo Khoon Yean said the accelerator provides a platform to bridge project developers, investors and public institutions, while helping businesses unlock opportunities in green growth. The CFA builds on broader UK-Malaysia climate cooperation, including partnerships on energy transition, climate resilience and sustainable finance and is expected to run until November. Through trade, investment and supply chains, Akmal said, Malaysia’s economy is also increasingly integrated with the global market. “The total approved investments for the nine month of 2025 reached RM285 billion, signalling strong domestic and foreign investor confidence.” Yet, even with these achievements, he said, the global and regional landscape presents uncertainties. “Inflationary pressures, rising interest rates, geopolitical tensions, and the rapid pace of technological change continue to affect markets and households alike.” Artificial intelligence, automation, and digital transformation are reshaping industries, while regional neighbours are accelerating reforms to attract talent and investment, he added. “In this context, Malaysia must not only respond but stand tall and lead.” Akmal said FEM 2026 with the theme “Accelerating Growth, Advancing Malaysia”, is anchored on the ambitions of the 13th Malaysia Plan. It will shape national development and economic growth over the next five years, providing a clear roadmap for infrastructure, human capital, innovation, industrial advance ment, and sustainability. Akmal said Malaysia continues to see strong

urban sprawl and carbon footprints, strengthening traceability systems to support circular economy and export competitiveness, and developing a coherent ecosystem for carbon pricing, emis sions trading and emissions measurement. “Once you have an emissions trading system, if there is no carbon tax, nobody will be interested to take part in it. The entire system needs to work in sync,” he said. Sharma, meanwhile, said many climate projects struggle not because of weak ideas, but because they are not structured in a way investors can understand and act on. “There is no shortage of promising climate solutions. The ideas are great, the innovation is Liew delivering his keynote speech at the conference.

Ű BY HAYATUN RAZAK sunbiz@thesundaily.com Johor-Singapore SEZ emerging as a key growth engine: Akmal

Performance Report, the zone attracted RM68 billion in approved investments in the first nine months of 2025. “This represents 75% of Johor’s total approved investments over the same period,” Akmal said, adding that the JS-SEZ Investment Blueprint and Masterplan will be unveiled by end March to guide development, enhance coordination among stakeholders, and provide greater clarity to investors on priority sectors, infrastructure rollout

KUALA LUMPUR: Early investment figures on the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) for 2025, with full-year data to be reported in March,are expected to confirm it as one of Malaysia’s key growth engines. Economy Minister Datuk Seri Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir ( pic ) said the JS SEZ is becoming a key engine for high value investments, stronger cross-border

and implementation pathways. Furthermore, Akmal said, the macro data shows that Madani is making a tangible difference with advance estimates, Malaysia’s economy grew by 4.9% in 2025, reflecting the resilience of the services, manufacturing and construction sectors. “The services sector remains the largest contributor to GDP, while manufacturing and construction continue to show robust performance.” He added that the fiscal performance remains sound with the budget deficit targeted to decline to around 3.8% of GDP in 2025, down from 4.1% in 2024, demonstrating disciplined public finance management.

value chains and better-quality jobs for Malaysians. “Looking ahead, the full-year approved investment figure for 2025 will be reported in March 2026, in line with previous years. Overall, this performance reinforces our confidence that the JS-SEZ is becoming a key engine for high value investments, stronger cross-border value chains, and better-quality jobs for Malaysians,” he said at the Malaysia Economic Forum 2026 (FEM 2026) yesterday. Akmal said the JS-SEZ has shown investment performance that “remarkably exceeds initial estimates”. Based on the Malaysian Investment Develop ment Authority Third Quarter 2025 Investment