KUALA LUMPUR, July 5 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yesterday chaired a roundtable with 40 captains of industry from France with operations in Malaysia to discuss strategic investment and partnership opportunities in high-impact sectors at the global level.
According to him, Malaysia offers a strategic position as a gateway into the Asean market, supported by political stability, investor-friendly policies, and a dynamic industrial ecosystem.
“I emphasised that Malaysia is now a major hub in the clean energy, semiconductor, and electrical and electronic sectors, and continues to play an important role in the oil and gas industry.
“This potential has also been strengthened with the implementation of investment facilitation initiatives by government agencies,” he posted on X after the meeting in Paris yesterday.
Anwar is leading a Malaysian delegation to the city in conjunction with a two-day official visit to France.
French companies that participated in the roundtable included Air Liquide, L’Oréal, Axens, Schneider Electric and Thales, which are well established in Malaysia and continue to show strong commitment.
Anwar also said the government is focusing on empowering small and medium enterprises so they may participate in the global supply chain and become strategic partners to foreign investors, including through technology transfer, training and talent development.
“I also encouraged French companies to explore special economic zones and halal parks in Malaysia, and to establish collaborations in renewable energy, CCUS (carbon capture, utilisation and storage), the digital economy, defence and aerospace in line with the country’s inclusive and sustainable economic reformation agenda,” he added.
France has remained one of Malaysia’s top five trading partners in the European Union.
In 2024, bilateral trade between the two nations reached RM15.95 billion, and from January to May this year, RM6.26 billion was recorded.
— Bernama
