Malaysia says approved investments hit record high of US$108 billion in 2025
A total of 8,390 projects were approved, with the potential of creating nearly 245,000 jobs for Malaysians, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia recorded RM426.7 billion (US$108 billion) in approved investments last year, a historic high for the country and an 11 per cent jump from the previous record set in 2024, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Friday (Mar 6).
This includes RM219.6 billion in domestic investments, as well as a 20 per cent increase in foreign investments to RM207.1 billion, Anwar said in a statement posted on social media platform X.
A total of 8,390 projects were approved, with the potential of creating nearly 245,000 jobs for Malaysians, Anwar said.
Malaysia has received a slew of investments from global tech firms in recent years, as it positions itself as a growing hub for data centres in the region.
At a related event on Friday, Deputy Trade Minister Sim Tze Tzin said investment appetite has not abated, with RM29.1 billion in proposed investments involving 172 projects already in the pipeline for 2026.
Sim said Malaysia also stood to benefit from geopolitical instability, referring to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
"The opportunity is there for Malaysia to present itself, and for ASEAN to present itself, as a stable, neutral, peaceful region to attract more investment," he said, referring to the regional bloc Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Malaysia's liquefied natural gas exports have little exposure to the conflict, Sim added.
Sim said Trade Minister Johari Abdul Ghani will hold a video call with a US trade official on Tuesday to discuss Malaysia's deal with Washington to lock in a tariff imposed on its exports to the United States at 19 per cent.
A US Supreme Court ruling last month had declared most of the tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump illegal.
