The government will gauge the medium-term progress of public initiatives and set the narrative for the coming months through the 2025 Malaysian Economic Forum, or Forum Ekonomi Malaysia (FEM2025), scheduled to be held on Jan 9, according to a report dated Dec 26 by the national news agency Bernama.
According to the Ministry of Economy, the one-day forum held at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre will chart economic priorities and policies for the nation in 2025.
“FEM2025 will see a gathering of stakeholders from various sectors to discuss issues such as innovation and technology, investment opportunities in Malaysia, Malaysia’s role as the ASEAN Chairman and the strategies to deal with global economic challenges,” said Minister of Economy Rafizi Ramli in his Facebook post on Dec 26.
A website dedicated to FEM2025 says each panel of discussion will also include a Malaysian minister. The ministers’ policies, combined with insights of expert panellists, will foster dynamic dialogue and spark new ideas.
“Made in Malaysia” vs “Made by Malaysia”
The topic explores how innovation and energy transition could be harnessed to shape Malaysia’s future. Malaysia has successfully moved from agriculture-based model to industrialisation – what is its next stage of development? How can it realistically shift to become a high-income, creator-based economy, from “Made in Malaysia” to “Made by Malaysia”?
Fiscal & Monetary Policy
Malaysia’s fiscal and monetary policy outlook amid global uncertainties is a pivotal area of discussion. Key highlights include Budget 2025, the Medium Term Fiscal Framework (2025-27), fiscal reforms especially on taxes and subsidies, and the central bank’s monetary stance and macro-economic views. The discussion also covers the path to achieving the Public Finance and Fiscal Responsibility Act’s objectives.
ASEAN Opportunity
Malaysia as the Chair of ASEAN will explore ways in which policymakers and investors can grasp the underlying dynamics that are reshaping the new global order considering that ASEAN is the world’s fourth largest economic bloc. How can ASEAN nations work better together to take a collective stance in approaching other blocs such as BRICS? What are the hurdles and strategic moves for better integration in critical areas such as the digital economy, trade and commerce, regional energy interconnectivity (power grid), and cross-border infrastructure and data flows?
Energy Transition
This session explores Malaysia’s energy transition as a multi-year catalyst for transforming the economy towards sustainable, higher value growth. While we consider carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) and green hydrogen, what are the promising, still untapped new energy sources and main barriers to adoption? What is the investment direction of leading oil and gas, and utility players? How can ASEAN become the next major destination for sustainability investments?
Education Reform
The COVID-19 pandemic spotlighted the inequality of education that persist in Malaysia further perpetuated by the gap of access stemming from demographic factors (the urban-rural divide) or income bands. Thus, towards the conclusion of the 2013 – 2025 Malaysian Education Blueprint, assessment is crucial to gauge how far we have come since then. “Which” areas specifically need targeting, “What” roadblocks do we face in the present, and most importantly, the “Hows” in terms of implementation, funding/resource allocation, and upskilling required.
Technology
The discussion will be anchored on how Malaysia could adopt unconventional strategies to innovate while examining the current state of Malaysia’s innovation ecosystem. How do various governmental and industrial stakeholders interact, and where are the gaps and opportunities for re-alignment? The panellists will explore Malaysia’s competitive edge in high-impact sectors such as semiconductors, renewable energy, agriculture, and Islamic finance.
Social Objective
Policy makers and experts will be brought together to engage in a holistic dialogue on advancing inclusive economic growth, resilience, and a just transition in Malaysia. What are the multidimensional aspects of poverty and what are the measures that can reduce income disparity and promote social mobility? How to provide adequate access to essential services such as affordable healthcare and housing?
Global Trade Protectionism
Protectionism and tariff walls are rising, set off by an intensifying US-China trade and tech rivalry. The European Union is raising tariffs on China’s electric vehicles, while several ASEAN countries are introducing trade barriers to protect small domestic firms from a flood of low-priced Chinese products. National security, self-sufficiency and technological leadership are becoming important drivers of trade policy.
How relevant is the World Trade Organization (WTO)? Should ASEAN respond with similar protectionist measures and pursue more active industrial policies, or remain open and play by WTO rules?
Talent Gap
