KUALA LUMPUR: As Malaysia prepares to assume the Asean chairmanship next year, key regional and global issues are expected to dominate its agenda, setting the stage for pivotal discussions and initiatives.
Among top priorities during Malaysia's chairmanship are economic revitalisation and the attraction of foreign direct investments (FDIs), as the region is still navigating the aftershocks of global economic challenges.
In the latest episode of Beyond the Headlines, hosts Hazween Hassan and Hana Naz Harun speak to Centre for Market Education chief executive officer Carmelo Ferlito, to discuss Malaysia's plans to position itself and Asean as a resilient and competitive economic bloc.
Ferlito, an economist, expanded on the specific incentives that Malaysia was offering to attract FDI, and explored the need for the government to strike a balance in attracting FDI while protecting local businesses and industries.
He also discussed the economic partnerships between China and the Gulf Cooperation Council, which he said would help drive economic and strategic goals, not just Malaysia but the Asean bloc as a whole.
In this episode, Ferlito also touched on strategies needed to ensure Malaysia met its target of attracting 25 million tourists next year.
This was the target set by Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, as the country takes over the Asean chairmanship in 2025.
He said apart from targeting key sectors like artificial intelligence and renewable energy for FDIs, the other sector to focus on, he had said, was health tourism.
On this matter, Ferlito said Malaysia was already a popular medical tourism destination, particularly among Indonesians and Bangladeshis.
He spoke on the need for the government to revive halal tourism to attract travelers from the Middle East, and leverage on a Mandarin-speaking population to promote Malaysia to China.
Catch the full episode on NST's YouTube channel, @NSTOnline, for more.