KUALA LUMPUR, June 26 – Malaysia’s investment momentum remains strong with RM89.8 billion in approved investments recorded in Q1 2025—a 3.7% year-on-year increase—across services, manufacturing, and primary sectors. These 1,556 projects are set to generate over 33,300 new jobs nationwide, underscoring the sustained confidence in Malaysia’s clear investment policies and resilient economic fundamentals.
Notably, the services sector saw a 39.5% surge to RM57.8 billion, led by high-value data centre and digital infrastructure projects. Foreign investments contributed RM60.4 billion (67.3%), with Singapore emerging as the top investor, followed by the United States, China, British Virgin Islands, and Taiwan.
Johor led state-level investment inflows with RM30.1 billion, followed by Kuala Lumpur, Sabah, Selangor, and Penang. The manufacturing sector attracted RM30.5 billion, primarily in high-tech and strategic industries like basic metal, electronics, and chemicals, while the primary sector maintained a steady RM1.5 billion.
MITI Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Aziz highlighted the rise in high-skilled job creation, with the Managerial, Technical, and Supervisory (MTS) index improving to 46.3%. As ASEAN Chair, Malaysia is poised to deepen regional integration while maintaining its strategic focus on value-added sectors under the National Investment Aspirations (NIA), which accounted for RM48 billion of the total.
With RM48.5 billion in active investment leads and a 90%+ realisation rate for past projects, Malaysia remains a top-tier investment destination.
