Malaysia emerges as Southeast Asia's top destination for tourism and investment: Nga Kor Ming
PUTRAJAYA: Housing and Local Government Minister, Nga Kor Ming, announced that Malaysia is a rising star in the Southeast Asia region by emerging as a leading destination for both foreign direct investment (FDI) and tourism globally.
Nga, who was recently elected President of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Assembly, said this achievement reflects the Madani government's commitment to good governance, investor-friendly policies, and strong international diplomacy.
'From easing visa regulations to deepening diplomatic ties, the Madani government is paving the way for Malaysia's global recognition,' he said.
Nga said that Malaysia was recently ranked the third most attractive destination for FDI globally in the newly released 2025 Baseline Profitability Index (BPI), trailing only India and Rwanda.
'Regionally, Malaysia leads Southeast Asia, outpacing peers such as Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines,' he added.
The BPI, developed by economist Daniel Altman, evaluates 100 countries based on their potential for profit generation, value preservation, and capital repatriation over a five-year horizon.
In another significant development, Malaysia has overtaken Thailand as Asean's most visited tourist destination in the first quarter of 2025, according to Vietnam Express.
The report, citing official data from several Asean nations, revealed that Malaysia welcomed over 10.1 million foreign tourists from January to March this year.
Thailand came in second with 9.55 million visitors, followed by Vietnam and Singapore with 6 million and 4.31 million arrivals, respectively.
Nga further highlighted Malaysia's recent appointment as the President of the UN-Habitat General Assembly, calling it a timely recognition of the country's leadership in sustainable urban development.
'This role positions Malaysia to deepen international cooperation and expand our influence on the global stage,' he said.
'As Malaysia rises on the global stage, it is crucial that we maintain our momentum to uphold investor confidence and ensure continued political and economic stability,' the minister added.
Last month, Malaysia was elected President of the UN-Habitat General Assembly for the 2026–2029 term.
The appointment, received Nga, marks a historic milestone as Malaysia assumes the presidency from Mexico, which represented Latin America and the Caribbean in the previous term.
Malaysia will also serve on the UN-Habitat Executive Board for the same term, jointly with the United Arab Emirates, representing the Asia-Pacific region.
'We take on this role as president together with our esteemed colleagues from the United Arab Emirates. The shared commitment symbolises regional solidarity and dedication to urban sustainability,' said Nga in his acceptance speech.
The minister described the appointment as a significant recognition of Malaysia's commitment to sustainable urban development, including its progress in achieving Sustainable Development Goals, with 53% of indicators already being tracked at the local level.
'This is a shared glory for all Malaysians. In co-presidency with the UAE, we stand ready to lead with integrity, inclusivity and dedication to the principles of the United Nations,' he said.
The UN-Habitat Assembly is the UN's highest decision-making body on sustainable urbanisation and human settlements.
Convening every four years, it sets key priorities for UN-Habitat's work.
The agency operates in over 70 countries focusing on areas such as urban legislation, land and governance, urban planning and design, basic services, slum upgrading, housing and disaster recovery.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
an hour ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Abang Jo to ‘table something' at special Sarawak assembly sitting
Sarawak premier Abang Johari Openg is expected to table a bill at a special one-day sitting of the state assembly. PETALING JAYA : The Sarawak legislative assembly will convene on July 7 for a special one-day sitting, with state premier Abang Johari Openg expected to table a bill. The Borneo Post reported that a letter on the special sitting, which starts at 9am, has been sent to assemblymen, although the purpose was not disclosed. Sarawak deputy premier Dr Sim Kui Hian was also reticent about the agenda of the meeting when asked by reporters, saying simply that Abang Johari would be 'tabling something' on the day without elaborating further.
New Straits Times
2 hours ago
- New Straits Times
UN chief urges parties to 'give peace a chance' on Iran-Israel war
UNITED NATIONS, United States: UN Secretary-General António Guterres pleaded on Friday with all sides to "give peace a chance" in the Iran-Israel conflict, warning that the violence could spiral out of control. "To the parties to the conflict – the potential parties to the conflict – and to the Security Council as the representative of the international community, I have a simple and clear message: Give peace a chance," Guterres said, in a veiled reference to the US, which is considering intervening militarily to support Israel. Addressing a Security Council session on the war, Guterres said: "We are not drifting toward crisis – we are racing toward it." "We are not witnessing isolated incidents – we are on course to potential chaos," he said. "The expansion of this conflict could ignite a fire that no one can control. We must not let that happen."
Malaysiakini
4 hours ago
- Malaysiakini
Rankings speak louder than false narratives, PKR MP shells opposition
PKR lawmaker R Yuneswaran has urged the opposition to stop peddling 'false narratives' about the goods and services tax (GST), sales and service tax (SST), and subsidy rationalisation efforts. To underscore that the Madani government is on the right track, the Segamat MP pointed to the International Institute for Management Development World Competitiveness Ranking 2025, which saw Malaysia rise 11 spots with a record high of RM378.5 billion in foreign direct investments.
