KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian companies must scale up, strengthen their regional presence and compete against the world's best as industries are being reshaped at an unprecedented pace, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.
He said technological advances are transforming industries in days rather than decades, making it crucial for Malaysian firms to grow in scale and ambition to remain competitive globally.
"As envisioned under Madani Economy, our next phase of growth must be anchored in regional ambition.
"Asean is among the fastest growing markets in the world, but success demands scale, capital and talent," he said in his speech at the launch of the Capital Market Masterplan (CMP) 2026–2030 at the Securities Commission Malaysia here today.
Under the CMP, Anwar said the capital market intermediaries would play a central role in creating market-based pathways for Malaysian Asean Business Entities (MyABE) and Bumiputera-owned ventures to expand beyond our shores.
"As they grow into regional champions, they will carry Malaysian capabilities, values and standards, strengthening our contribution to regional economic integration," he said.
Anwar said the CMP 2026–2030 is designed to strengthen capital-raising, reward business dynamism, embed sustainability as a driver of value and broaden meaningful participation across the economy.
He said the masterplan complements broader national economic strategies such as the New Industrial Masterplan 2030 and the National Energy Transition Roadmap, which aim to upgrade industries, deepen economic complexity and accelerate the shift towards a low-carbon future.
The capital market, he added, must play a key role in mobilising capital at scale and directing investments into sectors that will drive sustainable growth.
Anwar also stressed the need to widen the pipeline of companies ready to enter the public markets, including strengthening Bumiputera participation by supporting firms with the capacity and ambition to become public-listed companies.
"Efforts to strengthen Bumiputera participation, including supporting firms with the capacity and ambition to become public-listed companies, are indispensable to building a more inclusive, broad-based economy," he said.
He added that Malaysia's capital market cannot stand idle in a time where "centripetal and centrifugal forces pull in opposing directions."
"We must embrace the creative destruction of these post-normal times, not with apprehension, but with the confidence that we can emerge stronger."
Source: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2026/03/1393367/updated-anwar-urges-malaysian-companies-scale-strengthen-regional