Malaysia is strategically located at the heart of Southeast Asia.  Malaysia is a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), covering a region with a population of over 682 million and a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of US$3.3 trillion.  U.S. exporters can expand their business opportunities by exploring regional opportunities across other ASEAN economies, like Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Malaysia’s position as a regional hub for logistics services, information and communications technology (ICT), and medical travel presents opportunities to U.S. exporters. Digitalizing processes across all major industrial sectors will be a decisive factor in securing Malaysia’s role in the future global economy. The country aims to be a regional hub for digital and procurement-focused industries and an international destination for medical travel. The Malaysian government’s focus on enhancing healthcare is likewise driving demand for healthcare technology, medical devices, and digital health to ensure work-class quality healthcare service delivery. 

Malaysia aspires to be a regional aerospace hub and an integral part of the global aerospace supply chain while focusing on aerospace digital technology, Industry 4.0, ecosystem, and human capital development. In the energy sector, Malaysia set a target to reach 31 percent of Renewable Energy (RE) share in the national installed capacity mix by 2025. According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) “Climate Promise,” Malaysia’s global climate commitment is to reduce its economy-wide carbon intensity (against GDP) by 45 percent by 2030.

Top Sectors for U.S. Exporters

Some of the top sectors in Malaysia for U.S. exporters that will be explored in more detail in this report include the following:

•    Agricultural
•    Aerospace and Defense
•    Environmental Technology
•    Healthcare 
•    Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
•    Renewable Energy