Khazanah Strengthens Economic Resilience Through Sustainable Investments - MD

By Anas Abu Hassan

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 (Bernama) — Khazanah Nasional Bhd is ramping up efforts to fortify Malaysia’s economy against global headwinds, driven by three key pillars, namely sustainability, economic strength and inclusivity.

Its managing director, Datuk Amirul Feisal Wan Zahir, said the sovereign wealth fund is guided by the ‘Securing the Future’ framework, aimed at boosting the nation’s resilience in navigating external headwinds.

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“When we talk about sustainability, technology and resilience, essentially, we want to make sure that Malaysia secures a future where we are economically strong.

"As far as Khazanah is concerned, when we look at our investments, we try to help the country build that strong economy," he told Bernama in an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the Khazanah Megatrends Forum (KMF) 2025 today.

Held on Oct 6-7, the KMF 2025 marked the 20th edition of the forum, with the theme ‘Debugging Uncertainty: Lessons from the Grasshopper and the Ant on Living with Risk’.

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According to Amirul Feisal, KMF 2025's theme underscores the need for Malaysia to be well-prepared and resilient in facing global uncertainties, inspired by the strength and adaptability of an ant community

He also noted that Khazanah adopts the ‘A Nation That Creates’ (ANTC) framework, which will serve as a guide for Malaysia to move beyond being merely a host for multinational manufacturing towards becoming a nation of creators.

“Some of the discussions at KMF focused on the vital role of manufacturing, featuring speakers from China, Japan, and other countries. Japan, in particular, was highlighted as a strong example of an economy built on manufacturing and innovation.

"In fact, if you look at the United States (US) policies today, they are recognising that perhaps the US was too focused on the high-value-added design, such that the actual manufacturing was given away to other countries, and now they want it back," he said.

Meanwhile, Amirul Feisal noted that Khazanah sits at the intersection of the private and public sectors, balancing both commercial returns and national interest while being answerable to the rakyat.

“We manage an investment portfolio where we look at returns, but we do it in a responsible manner,” he said, highlighting that domestic investments account for about 60 per cent of the sovereign wealth fund’s portfolio.

On Khazanah’s investment focus, he said the fund continues to prioritise sustainability and energy transition as part of its long-term portfolio strategy.

Beyond 2025, he said global uncertainties will likely persist, driven by shifting power dynamics and rapid technological advancement and therefore, building resilience is of utmost importance.

He also noted that by being a resilient nation, Malaysia will be able to strategically position itself in a unique environment where it is a nation that has the diversity of incoming trade from the East and the West

Maintaining neutrality is crucial, said Amirul Feisal, as it creates an environment where both local and international players feel encouraged to come, collaborate, and invest — ultimately making Malaysia stronger in the future.

-- BERNAMA