MIDA commenced 2026 with its Media Appreciation High-Tea & Networking Session, held at Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral on 13 January 2026, bringing together close to 60 senior editors, bureau chiefs and journalists from major news organisations.

The session provided an opportunity to outline MIDA’s investment priorities for the year ahead, with addresses by Chairman YM Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Abdul Aziz and Chief Executive Officer Datuk Sikh Shamsul Ibrahim Sikh Abdul Majid. An economic outlook briefing by Dr. Anthony Dass further contextualised the increasingly competitive global investment landscape.

A key message shared during the engagement was the shift towards outcome-driven investments in 2026 — focusing not only on approvals, but on project implementation, productive capacity, quality employment and stronger domestic supply chains. With domestic investors accounting for 55% of approved investments in the first nine months of 2025, MIDA reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening support for Malaysian businesses and enhancing awareness of facilitation mechanisms available.

Looking ahead, MIDA will continue advancing key initiatives including the Invest Malaysia Facilitation Centre (IMFC), the phased implementation of the New Incentive Framework (NIF), expanded regional engagement, the #InvestLokal initiative, and the development of a One-Stop Portal to streamline investor approvals.

The engagement underscores MIDA’s commitment to ensuring Malaysia’s investment narrative remains competitive, inclusive and firmly focused on delivering tangible economic outcomes.