SIBS 2025 kicks off with 700 exhibitors and delegates

BY HAYATUN RAZAK

[email protected]

KUALA LUMPUR: The Selangor International Business Summit (SIBS) 2025, organised by Invest Selangor Bhd and hosted by the Selangor State Government, has kicked off with over 700 exhibitors and delegates from Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, Vietnam, Korea, China, France, Saudi Arabia, and more, covering key sectors including F&B, digital economy, aerospace, industrial development, and care economy.

Menteri Besar Selangor Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said the summit saw the launch of major green economy and fast-track investment initiatives as Selangor positions itself at the forefront of Malaysia’s sustainable growth and Asean integration.

“Times are changing rapidly at the global level as we shift from a unipolar world with the United States as the single dominant power to a new world order where China continues to rise, Russia plays a pivotal role in Europe, and Southeast Asia grows in importance, especially as Malaysia chairs Asean in 2025. This SIBS is more important than ever before, as it gives deeper meaning to what we’ve been saying time and again, Selangor as the Gateway to Asean. By investing in Selangor, I implore you to widen your horizons to Southeast Asia’s market of 680 million people,” he said at the launch at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre today.

Building on RM13.86 billion in potential transactions recorded at SIBS 2024, more than double the previous year, Amirudin said, this year’s summit is set to unlock new opportunities for trade, partnerships and regional collaboration.

“Selangor remains a cornerstone of Malaysia’s economy, contributing 26.2% of national GDP and recording 6.3% growth in 2024. Anchored by infrastructure such as Port Klang and Kuala Lumpur International Airport, the state continues to serve as Asean’s hub for trade, connectivity and innovation.

“Forward-looking plans such as the First Selangor Plan (RS-1) and upcoming Second Selangor Plan (RS-2) reaffirm the state’s commitment to sustainability, digitalisation and inclusivity, while thriving superclusters in aerospace, logistics and geopolitics underscore Selangor’s growing role in advancing an AI-driven, sustainable economy.”

Moving forward, Amirudin said Selangor intends to open new fronts in the rail and life sciences sectors. He said these are two areas Selangor has to focus on to increase the use of public transportation among its people, and prepare to live as an ageing society.

“This administration has taken proactive steps in the aerospace sector by working with the Federal Government to open the Selangor Aero Park (SAP), as we see tremendous potential to utilise the space surrounding KLIA as a maintenance, repair, and overhaul hub, while expanding Selangor as a regional cargo hub for goods entering into Southeast Asia,” he said.

The event also witness the launch of the Selangor Agenda for Green Economy (SAGE), a 10-year roadmap to position the state as Malaysia’s leader in sustainable economic transformation.

SAGE aims to attract up to RM63 billion in investments by 2035, contributing to a 35% clean-energy mix and creating thousands of quality jobs.

Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Transition & Water Transformation Minister, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said looking ahead, Asean’s competitiveness will depend on how well it responds to the twin pressures of climate change and resource security.

“These are not distant challenges, they are shaping business operations, government planning, and community well-being today.”

He said Malaysia’s approach is to treat sustainability not as an environmental add-on, but as a core economic strategy.

“Clean energy, reliable water, and climate resilience are now drivers of competitiveness. Investors increasingly judge countries and regions by how ready they are for a low-carbon and resource-secure future,” he said in his speech.

The opening ceremony was graced by Crown Prince of Selangor Tengku Amir Shah Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.

The event also witnessed the exchange of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Air Lestari Sdn Bhd (ALSB), Heliosel Sdn Bhd, and Smartsel Sdn Bhd, subsidiaries of Menteri Besar Selangor (Incorporated) or MBI Selangor, and the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM).

The collaboration seeks to explore joint efforts in water reclamation, smart manufacturing, and energy transition, leveraging MBI’s innovation-driven ecosystem and FMM’s vast industrial network.

The MoU was exchanged by Datuk Saipolyazan Mat Yusop, Group CEO of MBI Selangor, and Tan Sri Datuk Soh Thian Lai, president of FMM.

Another highlight was the launch of SPEED Selangor, a policy framework underscoring the state’s commitment to business efficiency, investor confidence and accelerated growth.

The initiative unifies fast-track approval systems across local councils into a single streamlined process, aiming to reduce approval times from three and a half months to nine days.

Initially focused on development and investment-related approvals, the system may later expand to cover public services such as citizen complaints and home renovation permits.

Among its innovations, an Industrial Green Lane will allow completed projects to obtain business licences within 24 hours, while a new high-impact project management system will improve transparency and accountability by tracking progress, budgets and outcomes.

SIBS 2025 highlights include six flagship events: the Selangor International F&B Expo, Selangor Investment and Industrial Park Expo (SPARK), Selangor Asean Business Conference (SABC), Selangor Smart City & Digital Economy Convention (SDEC), Selangor Aerospace Summit (SAS) and Selangor International Care Summit (SICS).

The inaugural Selangor Aerospace Summit (SAS), held from Oct 8 to 10, replaces the Selangor Aviation Show, introducing a business-focused programme on MRO, supply chain resilience, sustainability, talent development and regional growth.

Featuring NAICO Malaysia, UMW Aerospace and Dassault Aviation, the event also includes site visits to Asia Digital Engineering and Selangor Aero Park, as well as a career fair in collaboration with Social Security Organisation’s MyFutureJobs.

The 9th Selangor Asean Business Conference (SABC), themed “Selangor: The Gateway to a More Inclusive and Sustainable Asean”, gathers more than 800 policymakers, industry leaders and experts to explore regional cooperation, sustainability and innovation.

Speakers at SABC 2025 include Tan Sri Nazir Razak, chairman of the Asean Business Advisory Council Malaysia, as well as senior representatives from the Asean Secretariat, Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA), BP Batam, PEZA (Philippines), BKPM (Indonesia), SEZO (Laos) and AI Forum Cambodia.

Special presentations from Indonesia’s Ministry of Investment (BKPM) and the Philippine Board of Investments (BOI) will showcase new investment opportunities across the region.

Invest Selangor CEO Datuk Hasan Azhari Idris said as Malaysia takes on the Asean Chairmanship in 2025, Selangor is proud to position itself as the gateway to the region.

“This conference is about actionable strategies, how we can grow sustainably, strengthen our economic resilience and ensure inclusivity across all member states,” he said.