Malaysia has called on ASEAN member states to strengthen regional integration and compete collectively with global manufacturing regions, instead of competing among themselves.
Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) Singapore director Vinothan Tulisinathzan said the dynamic shift in the global supply chain presents an opportunity for the bloc to position itself as the new leader of global manufacturing region.
“Rather than every country trying to do everything, ASEAN should leverage each other’s competitive strength.
“Companies now want resilience, diversification, multiple supply sources and that naturally favours ASEAN,” he said.
Vinothan emphasised that Malaysia has been playing its role to become one of the key orchestration hubs within the regional value chain.
To further boost intra-ASEAN trade, he urged member states to focus on making it easier for businesses to operate across borders.
“The next phase of ASEAN is not about reducing tariffs. It is about reducing friction,” he said, adding that Malaysia leads the way with the inception of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ).
Meanwhile, Vinothan highlighted that Malaysia is now looking to improve the quality of investments coming into the country, as its investment paradigm has changed towards value creation.
He said Malaysia offers an integrated industrial ecosystem that enables investors to innovate, manufacture and scale up their operations while serving not only the regional market but also global markets through the country’s established manufacturing network.
According to him, the integrated ecosystem is one of Malaysia’s greatest competitive advantages in attracting high-quality investments.
“Malaysia offers investors an integrated ecosystem, where advanced manufacturing, digital infrastructure, sustainability and talent also come together to support the long-term growth,” he added.
Source: SME
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<p>Time: November 2025<br /> By: WTO and International Trade Group, Legal Department – VCCI</p>
