KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s chairmanship of ASEAN this year has reinforced the region’s unity amid global uncertainties and enhanced the country’s profile as a competitive investment destination in Southeast Asia, European Union (EU)-ASEAN Business Council executive director Chris Humphrey said.
He said the Malaysian government has been doing excellent work in attracting investments and ensuring the country provides a business-friendly environment from the perspective of the business community.
Humphrey commended Malaysia for its efforts as ASEAN chair in promoting trade and investments amid global geopolitical and geoeconomic challenges, which in turn encourage European businesses to enter the region.
“What Malaysia has done extremely well is use its chairmanship to advertise itself and place the country firmly in people’s minds when they are thinking about the region.
“Both your ministers and deputy minister at the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry are great ambassadors for the country, and that really helps place Malaysia at the forefront of companies’ thoughts when they consider coming to Southeast Asia,” he told Bernama in an exclusive interview.
Humphrey was speaking to Bernama on the sidelines of the ASEAN-EU Business Summit 2025, held alongside the 57th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ (AEM) Meeting and related meetings this week.
Commenting further, he emphasised that with the upcoming Malaysia-EU free trade agreement (MEUFTA) now in promising negotiations, European businesses are keen to venture further into the region, beginning with advanced emerging markets such as Malaysia.
“Malaysia is a bit of a gateway to the rest of the ASEAN region. Get that FTA over the line and you will see even more European investment flowing into the country,” he added.
He also said the fundamentals of ASEAN’s economic growth remain solid despite global headwinds, making the region an increasingly attractive destination for investment and supply chain diversification.
Humphrey said like-minded partners such as ASEAN and the EU must work more closely together to strengthen trade and investment flows, particularly as businesses seek to reduce vulnerabilities and enhance supply chain resilience.
“Companies certainly need to be thinking about their own supply chains and diversifying them. ASEAN offers a strong manufacturing base, strategic location, and growing consumer market — the fundamentals remain unchanged by the global turbulence.
“What every country in the region needs to do is play to its strengths and support the industries that it is really, really good at,” he noted. – Bernama