The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (Miti) is working to strengthen the resilience of Malaysia’s supply chain by fortifying specific industries’ role in the global network, following the recent tariff agreement with the US, according to its Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
He said the move is part of a wider effort to ensure the country remains competitive after Washington lowered the tariff rate on Malaysian exports to 19% from 25% on Aug 1.
“I am happy to share that Miti is making good progress on its Supply Chain Mapping Project. This project aims to identify each and every player in all the economic activities along the supply chain of key industrial sectors in Malaysia," Zafrul said in his keynote at The Edge Malaysia Centurion Club Corporate Awards 2025 on Tuesday.
"Unless and until we know this, and where the gaps are, we will never be able to build resilience effectively.”
Following the tariff agreement, Zafrul said Miti will organise an outreach programme for key stakeholders, industry members and exporters for the ministry to look at ways to provide the appropriate support to impacted exporters.
Further, the senator said Miti is also taking the opportunity to speed up its industrial reform agenda.
"We will re-examine our regulatory requirements, procedures, and processes to weed out the overlaps, the obsolete and the irrelevant," he said.
The minister reiterated that the tariff deal was secured without compromising Malaysia’s “red lines” in areas such as halal standards, foreign equity limits in strategic sectors, and digital company safeguards.
The Edge Centurion Club Awards supports industrial resilience
Zafrul highlighted that initiatives such as The Edge Centurion Awards play a crucial role in fostering resilience among Malaysian companies, particularly mid-cap players that are vital to the nation’s industrial transformation agenda.
“Despite global headwinds, the Centurion Club members have demonstrated remarkable resilience — thanks to their solid business models, healthy embracing of technology, and agile adaptation to new realities,” he said, adding that many have successfully expanded beyond Malaysia’s shores.
He noted that the awards align with Miti’s policies under the New Industrial Master Plan (NIMP) 2030, supported by sub-policies like the National Semiconductor Strategy, Green Investment Strategy and the Circular Economy Framework for the Manufacturing Sector.
Now in its fifth year, the Centurion Club recognises the best-performing public listed companies with a market capitalisation between RM100 million and RM1 billion, based solely on measurable financial metrics. Deloitte audits the results to ensure transparency.
This year, 518 companies qualified as Centurion Club members — the highest since the awards’ inception in 2019, compared with 423 then. Their combined market capitalisation amounted to RM177.38 billion, up from RM133.3 billion in the inaugural year.
Zafrul commended the 36 companies that received awards this year, singling out manufacturers for helping to achieve the missions set out under the NIMP 2030.
"A special shout-out to those Centurions in manufacturing, as you help fulfil the very missions that the NIMP 2030 seeks to achieve.
“Your achievements also send a signal to both domestic and international investors that Malaysia’s mid-cap segment is dynamic, robust, and full of potential,” he said, assuring that Miti will continue to support companies through targeted incentives, regulatory reforms and market access facilitation.
Source: The Edge Malaysia
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<p>Time: November 2025<br /> By: WTO and International Trade Group, Legal Department – VCCI</p>
