TEKS UCAPAN

 

YAB DATO’ SERI ANWAR BIN IBRAHIM

PERDANA MENTERI

 

SEMPENA

 

MAJLIS PERASMIAN PENUTUPAN SIDANG KEMUNCAK DHL GOTRADE SUMMIT 2025

 

 

 

21 OKTOBER 2025 (SELASA) | 3.30 PETANG

BALLROOM 1, ARAS 3 MITEC, KUALA LUMPUR

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh dan salam sejahtera

 

Yang Berhormat Senator Datuk Seri Utama Tengku Zafrul bin Tengku Abdul Aziz, Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry;

 

Yang Berhormat Tuan Liew Chin Tong, Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry;

 

Your Excellencies Ambassador;

 

Mr. John Pearson, Chief Executive Officer, DHL Express dan seluruh rakan-rakan dari DHL;

 

Madam Johanna Hill, Deputy Director-General, World Trade Organisation (WTO);

 

Dan rakan-rakan Timbalan Menteri, semua yang hadir terima kasih.

 

 

1. Sekali lagi lah kita ucap taniah, khususnya kepada Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) dan DHL kerana dapat menjayakan satu program yang agak penting sebagai prelude kepada sidang ASEAN yang akan dikelolakan dalam beberapa hari lagi.

 

2. Dan tentunya, saya ambil kesempatan ini juga untuk menyatakan penghargaan yang tinggi kepada seluruh keluarga MITI, Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) dan semualah yang nampak menjadi tonggak bagi kejayaan kita, terutama dalam bidang pelaburan dan perniagaan.

3. Now, thank you very much, particularly John Pearson and your team, for this confidence shown, and Malaysia of course appreciate this, and we’ll do whatever is necessary to make sure that we can facilitate and accelerate your investments and networking, not only in terms of established business entities, but more so the more pressing need to enhance the capability of the small and medium industries.

4. Now, through the GoTrade initiative, DHL has empowered thousands of micro, small, and medium enterprises, and you made two references to women-owned businesses to reach global markets and compete with confidence. Such initiatives give render meaning to what we undertake to implement in terms of our key strategies of inclusivity and sustainability.

5. Inclusivity, other than dealing with the marginalised, the poor, the urban poor, but of course the women comes into play with the youth. And I think your emphasis is much appreciated, because you give and complement many of our efforts.

6. Now, such initiatives are vital at a time when the world economy stands at the crossroads. But I certainly take note of your remarks that at times we tend to be too concerning, exaggerate the problems and issues.

7. When you look at your historical antecedents, this sort of a semi or upheaval or turmoil has been there in politics, in geopolitics, in trade, in investments and somehow the ingenuity of the business community, private sector and human beings, their ingenuity would be able to somehow surmount and overcome.

8. You remember I made reference this morning to Schumpeter’s “gale of creative destruction” coming after such an upheaval, economic malaise and challenges but again with clear policies, with determination, with discipline, with commitment and the rapport, understanding between the public and the private sector, we are able to overcome.

9. I’m not suggesting that it’s easy. We’ll be meeting all leaders, United States, Canada, India, China, Korea, Japan this weekend and we have to seriously, deliberately on these issues. I’m not underestimating the importance of such deliberation, but I am cautiously optimistic that some of them are sanity prevail and otherwise we will all be in doldrums.

10. So we have to deal, of course with tariffs, restrictions, free trade policies, shaping global supply chains. Now about such turbulence remind us the importance of resilience, agility and regional cooperation. We believe that amidst this uncertainty, ASEAN must continue to embody the principles of openness and unity and the collaboration with the private sector including established ones.

11. That’s where your presence, I mean, I do not normally attend sanctions accepting this to the government initiative with some but then DHL has given some exception and thanks to MITI Minister, Tunku Zafrul and the importance we gave, but you certainly realise that this region, particularly ASEAN, has become a crucial link in the global supply chain a hub for manufacturing, vibrant market for 680 million people and by the extent of our productivity is going to be 700 million soon.

 

12. Although I would say that we should be productive in other areas too. Now, within five years, ASEAN is expected to become the fourth largest economy in the world. This growth is not accidental. It is the result of collective resolve to uphold free and fair trade while harnessing our comparative advantages.

13. Malaysia’s aspirations are clear: We aim to strengthen our role as a trusted investment hub while ensuring that local enterprises and startups are not left behind. That’s why the theme is still inclusivity.

14. The government continues to support SMEs through expanded guarantees and financing facilities, helping them to innovate, digitalise, and compete confidently in global markets. The path forward must be guided by technology, sustainability, and inclusivity. Digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI), and automation are no longer luxuries; they are the very tools that will determine competitiveness in the years ahead.

15. SMEs and multinational corporations are partners in this journey. The growth of one, depends on the strength of the other. By deepening collaboration, we build an ecosystem that drives innovation, job creation, and shared prosperity.

16. So, distinguished guests, as ASEAN’s chair, Malaysia is determined to advance a vision of unity that is both principled and pragmatic. We introduced recently the ASEAN Vision 2045, and as I had alluded earlier, the theme for this year is “Inclusivity and Sustainability”.

17. We are not talking just about growth. Although growth is an important economic imperative, but growth but gets uplifts, economic progress must be measured not merely in figures and numbers, but in dignity, in the dignity of work, the well-being of families, and the fairness of opportunity. Our priority economic deliverables reflect this conviction.

18. They place MSMEs, women entrepreneurs and youth at the heart of regional development by fostering integration, connectivity and digital resilience we can forge an ASEAN that’s not just stronger, but also fairer and more compassionate.

19. Now, in advancing this vision of deeper integration it is timely that ASEAN and the world at large turned their attention to Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP the world’s largest trade agreement, encompassing nearly one third of global GDP and trade.

20. For asean, it represents far more than an economic arrangement It is a strategic affirmation that open regionalism remains our pathway to shared prosperity. As we prepare to host the fifth RCEP leaders meeting later this month or next week, Malaysia intends to reinforce ASEAN’s central role in guiding its implementation.

21. We want RCEP to serve not just the interests of large multinational corporations, but also to deliver concrete benefits to our SMEs, workers and communities they will depend to a large extent on our ability to translate commitments into opportunities.

22. This includes addressing non-tariff barriers, good luck Tengku Zafrul enhancing trade facilitation, ensuring that the digital economy, green transition and services sector are fully integrated into the framework.

23. So we will continue to endeavour this and I must thank again my colleagues Datuk Seri Utama Tengku Zafrul, Tuan Liew Chin Tong, KSU and the rest for the indefatigable work in ensuring that we succeed first through domestic resilience and regional cooperation and strength.

Thank you very much. Terima Kasih