Selangor Ready to Become Gateway for Indonesian Business Expansion into ASEAN
“Our message to Indonesian business players is very simple. Selangor is ready to be your gateway to Malaysia and the ASEAN market.”
Bandung (ANTARA) — The Menteri Besar of Selangor, Malaysia, YAB Dato’ Seri Amirudin bin Shari, has stated that the state of Selangor is ready to serve as a strategic gateway for Indonesian businesses seeking to expand into the Malaysian and wider ASEAN markets.
This commitment was underlined by the presence of a Selangor delegation in Bandung for the Selangor International Business Summit (SIBS) @ ASEAN, as a concrete demonstration of the state’s commitment to strengthening regional economic cooperation.
“Our message to Indonesian business players is very simple. Selangor is ready to be your gateway to Malaysia and the ASEAN market,” said Amirudin on the first day of SIBS @ ASEAN in Bandung, West Java, on Thursday.
According to Amirudin, the bilateral economic relationship between Malaysia and Indonesia is currently in a very strong position. In 2025, the value of bilateral trade between the two countries was recorded at US$26.51 billion.
This figure places Indonesia as Malaysia’s ninth-largest trading partner globally, and its third-largest within the ASEAN region.
This positive momentum has continued into 2026. Trade data from January to May 2026 show bilateral trade volume growing by 2.6 per cent to 47.62 billion Malaysian ringgit.
At the same time, the value of Malaysian exports to Indonesia also surged by 8.8 per cent to 22.63 billion ringgit.
“These figures show that commercial ties between our two countries are deepening. In today’s economy, competitiveness is no longer about going it alone. True competitiveness is about growing together,” he said.
Amirudin noted that Indonesia, including West Java, possesses significant advantages in terms of market scale, a dynamic young population, growing industries, and strong domestic demand.
To complement these strengths, Selangor offers a mature business ecosystem supported by world-class infrastructure, advanced manufacturing capabilities, efficient logistics systems, and a highly skilled workforce.
A number of promising sectors identified for cooperation between the two sides include renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, the halal industry, logistics, the digital economy, healthcare services, aerospace, education, smart cities, and food security.
Through SIBS, Indonesian businesses, including those from West Java, are encouraged to explore broader strategic opportunities such as joint ventures, technology partnerships, manufacturing partnerships, innovation, and the strengthening of regional supply chains.
The business platform is designed to connect Indonesian entrepreneurs directly with investors, government agencies, multinational corporations, and industry leaders across the ASEAN region.
Selangor’s investment appeal is evidenced by economic performance that has exceeded targets. Under the management of the state government’s strategic investment institution, Menteri Besar Selangor (Incorporated), or MBI Selangor, the state recorded 83.9 billion ringgit in approved investments in 2025.
This achievement surpassed the initial target of 65 billion ringgit. Of the total, domestic investment dominated with a contribution of 48.9 billion ringgit, or 58.3 per cent, whilst foreign investment contributed 35.0 billion ringgit.
This investment inflow is claimed to have created more than 61,000 new job opportunities in Selangor.
According to Amirudin, the surge in investment in Selangor has also helped propel Malaysia to its highest recorded investment figure in the nation’s history, with approved investments of 426.7 billion ringgit in 2025.
MBI Selangor positions itself as a catalyst for economic development, an investment facilitator, and a strategic partner bridging public policy with the real needs of the private sector.
In its operations, MBI Selangor has adopted an internal transformation agenda titled “THRIVE28”, focusing on strengthened governance, financial sustainability, digitalisation, operational excellence, and the optimisation of its business portfolio.
Amirudin affirmed that in today’s global economic landscape, investors look beyond incentives alone and seek three key elements: certainty, resilience, and speed-to-market.
“Selangor offers all three. Successful investment is not built on incentives alone. It is built on trust, cooperation, and effective execution,” Amirudin added.