SPONSOR CLOSING REMARKS
YB DATUK SERI UTAMA TENGKU ZAFRUL AZIZ
MINISTER OF INVESTMENT, TRADE AND INDUSTRY
MALAYSIA
IN CONJUNCTION WITH
BLOOMBERG BUSINESS SUMMIT AT ASEAN 2025
27 OCTOBER 2025 (MONDAY), 4.20 P.M.
GRAND SALON, HYATT REGENCY HOTEL, KUALA LUMPUR
Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
1. Over the past two days, we’ve witnessed a remarkable convergence ideas, debates, and reflections. My deepest appreciation to Bloomberg for convening this Summit in Kuala Lumpur—at a moment that is nothing short of pivotal for Malaysia and ASEAN. As we draw this gathering to a close, one message rings clear: ASEAN is not waiting for the world to change—we are shaping it.
2. These sessions have reminded us, vividly and powerfully, that ASEAN—with 680 million people, dynamic economies, and boundless digital energy—is no longer just a growth story. We are the story. A region that continues to defy global headwinds and chart its own course of resilience, renewal, and relevance.
3. The Bloomberg Business Summit @ ASEAN 2025, made possible through the partnership of CIMB Group, Zetrix, and YTL, has reaffirmed that Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship is not a ceremonial title—it is a mandate to lead. And we will lead with courage, clarity, and conviction.
Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
4. One message rang loud and clear form this Summit: sustainability is no longer a checkbox—it’s a competitive edge. Across boardrooms and factory floors, the ESG conversation has evolved from compliance to impact, from obligation to opportunity.
5. The dialogue on “Asia’s ESG Moment” captured this shift with precision. ESG now drives capital flows, trade decisions, and corporate behaviour. Malaysia’s own journey reflects this transformation. Through our Green Investment Strategy, New Industrial Master Plan 2030, National Energy Transition Roadmap and the i-ESG Framework, we are not just building a greener economy—we are building a smarter one. An economy where investors, innovators, and industries collaborate to deliver sustainability that is not only ethical, but also profitable.
6. It’s time to move beyond net-zero promises toward net-positive outcomes. The private sector holds the key to this shift—from incremental change to transformative impact. I hope this Summit has sparked the partnerships and bold thinking needed to accelerate that journey.
7. The message on technology and AI is equally clear: we’ve moved from hype to impact. ASEAN cannot afford to remain passive consumers of global innovation. We must be co-creators— designing, deploying, and owning the technologies that will shape our future.
8. The session on “AI for ASEAN” reminded us that our digital journey must reflect who we are: diverse, inclusive, and forward looking. This spirit is alive in initiatives like the Malaysia–China AI Innovation Centre, and ASEAN’s Digital Economy Framework Agreement, which stand to be a game-changer for regional integration and digital sovereignty.
9. Our partners, Zetrix and YTL, underscored a vital truth: digital growth is impossible without digital infrastructure. Data centres, connectivity, and digital identity are not just technical enablers—they are instruments of sovereignty, trust, and long-term competitiveness.
10. In Malaysia, we are positioning ourselves as a regional hub for AI and digital innovation—not by chasing trends, but by investing in talent, strengthening governance, and ensuring that technology remains in service of humanity, not the other way around. This is our north star: innovation with integrity, progress with purpose.
11. But innovation cannot thrive without capital. The session led by our partner CIMB on “Unlocking Capital for ASEAN” was a timely reminder: the scale of our ambitions demands not just more investment, but smarter, more catalytic capital. We must reimagine finance as a force multiplier for inclusive, sustainable growth.
12. To power ASEAN’s transformation, we must infuse innovation with inclusion—mobilising public-private partnerships, green finance, and blended capital as catalytic engines of change. As Malaysia advances our sustainable finance agenda, we invite global investors to see ASEAN not merely as a destination for returns, but as a partner in building shared prosperity with purpose.
Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
13. Malaysia’s Chairmanship this year steered ASEAN towards a future that is inclusive, sustainable, and competitive. But leadership is not about dominance, but rather, direction.
14. As Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said recently: “The relative peace and prosperity that ASEAN has enjoyed for nearly six decades are not self-sustaining. They must be renewed through cooperation and strengthened by shared purpose. That is why ASEAN is deepening economic linkages, widening trade, and enhancing competitiveness.”
15. We are here to connect, not compete; to collaborate, not collide. Guided by the spirit of MADANI – of balance, empathy, and justice – Malaysia will continue to anchor a stable, coherent, and prosperous ASEAN. And we remain, without question, one of the most compelling launchpads into this region’s bright future.
16. To the business leaders, thinkers, and innovators gathered here: see ASEAN not as a patchwork of markets, but as a collective of possibilities. This region has become a repository of global hopes— and of our people’s aspirations. Together, let’s turn ambition into action, and aspiration into achievement. Because, as many of you will agree: when ASEAN prospers, the world follows.
17. Finally, my heartfelt thanks to Bloomberg for being a trusted partner in telling ASEAN’s story to the world—a story still unfolding, and one we are proud to share and help shape. I warmly invite each of you to be part of this journey. Because the ASEAN story is not just ours to tell—it’s ours to build, together. Terima kasih, thank you.
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