Selangor International Business Summit kicks off

KUALA LUMPUR: The Selangor International Business Summit (SIBS) 2025, organised by Invest Selangor Bhd and hosted by the Selangor State Government, kicked off yesterday 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 during the launch.

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, mainly to increase the use of public transportation among the people, and in preparation 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 witnessed 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 which 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 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), 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.

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.

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.