FEM 2026 to spotlight AI, housing and healthcare

PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysia Economic Forum (FEM) 2026, to be held on Feb 5 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, will focus on eight key policy areas as the government shifts from planning to execution in the first year of the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13).

The eight focus areas are AI nation, sustainability and energy transition, Made by Malaysia, healthcare reform, trade and investment strategies, talent development, housing reform, and ageing nation.

Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said the one-day forum, themed ‘Accelerating growth, advancing Malaysia’, will act as a national scorecard to track the progress and implementation of existing initiatives.

“FEM will serve as a platform for ministries to report on progress and early outcomes of key initiatives such as the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone and the National Energy Transition Roadmap,” he said after a media briefing with news outlets on Thursday.

“It will explore reforms in trade, housing, talent development and productivity. It will generate measurable results, not just dialogue.

“We expect to attract at least 5,000 participants, including policymakers, industry leaders and investors, and provide a platform for scrutiny and engagement from academia and civil society.”

Akmal Nasrullah said FEM would help shape Malaysia’s economic narrative amid global uncertainty and a slowing world economy.

He added that the eight topics were carefully selected and would include discussions on:

AI nation, focusing on building a national AI ecosystem covering policy, governance and regulation, integration across government, industry and society, strengthening digital infrastructure, enhancing literacy and cybersecurity, and attracting strategic investments to drive productivity and growth.

Sustainability and energy transition, addressing efforts to accelerate Malaysia’s energy transition while ensuring energy security, financing green infrastructure, advancing the blue economy, strengthening public-private collaboration, and managing transition risks inclusively.

Made by Malaysia, highlighting the shift from manufacturing-led growth to innovation-led development, with emphasis on high-growth, high-value industries, strengthening the national digital and innovation ecosystem, boosting productivity and competitiveness, and supporting technology-driven small and medium enterprises.

Healthcare reform, covering efforts to build a sustainable, affordable and high-quality healthcare system, strengthen public-private partnerships, reform healthcare financing, improve payment systems including diagnosis-related group models, and ensure long-term system sustainability amid rising demand.

Trade and investment strategies, examining how to navigate global trade uncertainty and protectionism, diversify exports, expand market access, integrate public and private sector efforts, and translate trade and investment commitments into tangible economic outcomes while positioning Malaysia in global value chains.

Talent development, focusing on building and attracting future-ready, high-skilled talent, aligning higher education with high-value jobs, strengthening industry-academia collaboration, addressing brain drain, reforming labour policies, and expanding the SME talent pool.

Housing reform, centred on improving housing affordability and quality, increasing access to home ownership, enhancing regulatory efficiency, introducing financing innovation, reforming housing-related laws including strata management, and addressing structural supply challenges.

Ageing nation, addressing preparation for a rapidly ageing population, including fiscal sustainability, pension and social protection reform, labour policy adjustments for older workers, and the development of inclusive and sustainable care ecosystems.

On the broader economic outlook, Akmal said Malaysia’s positive growth momentum is expected to continue into 2026 following stronger-than-expected performance last year.

Advance gross domestic product estimates showed the economy expanded by 4.9 per cent in 2025, exceeding the official projection of between 4.0 and 4.8 per cent.

For 2026, GDP growth is projected at between 4.0 and 4.5 per cent, although he cautioned that the full impact of United States tariffs and ongoing geopolitical uncertainty would be felt this year.

FEM 2026 is organised by the Economy Ministry, with Maybank and Bursa Malaysia as principal strategic partners, supported by HSBC, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and MBSB.

The forum is free and open to the public. Those interested can register at https://fem.ekonomi.gov.my/.