Malaysia

With oil prices depressed and global economic activity slowing, these are undoubtedly challenging times for oil and gas companies, producers and countries worldwide, and Malaysia is no exception. Yet despite the downsides, these are also key times for the development of new resources and strategies in the sector, with Malaysia at the forefront of many renewable energy trends. Even as it makes...

Malaysia’s insurance and takaful, or Islamic insurance, sector has recorded consistent growth in recent years. In 2015 total assets of both combined expanded by 5.6% to RM264bn ($65.3bn). Within the life insurance and family takaful sector, the growth of takaful contributions has been notable, accounting for almost 18% of new premiums and contributions. Insurance and takaful provide an...

Amidst a mixed earnings performance around the world in 2015, Malaysia’s capital market posted modest growth over the course of the year. The sector grew by 2.1% in 2015, according to the Securities Commission Malaysia, the capital market regulator, to reach RM2.82trn ($698bn) by the end of the year, which was 2.5 times the size of the economy. Bursa Malaysia, the nation’s stock exchange,...

Although funding conditions in Malaysia are tightening due to prudential considerations and heightened macroeconomic risks, the banking system as a whole remains profitable, liquid and well capitalised. The country’s 27 domestic and foreign banking institutions are amongst the most dynamic in the region, serving clients at home as well as the wider South-east Asia region. An early adopter of...

One of the largest of Malaysia’s 13 states, Sabah is banking on an economic development strategy that aims to make the most of its strategic position in the South China Sea, the beauty of its landscape and the riches of its natural environment. The plan centres on the Sabah Development Corridor (SDC), one of five economic development zones established throughout Malaysia and designed to...

Resource rich and export-oriented, Malaysia’s economy has endured another major test in resilience, with a global slump in commodities and China’s slowdown...