IMKL 2017 to highlight Malaysia’s growth

KUALA LUMPUR: The 13th Invest Malaysia Kuala Lumpur (IMKL) conference will be held next Tuesday and Wednesday.

It will be jointly-organised by Bursa Malaysia Bhd and CIMB Investment Bank Bhd.

Themed “Malaysia at 60: Maximising Potential”, IMKL 2017 is being held amid a slew of positive proof points for the local economy and capital market, underlining Malaysia’s status as the investment and listing destination of choice.

“IMKL 2017 couldn’t have come at a better time. The economy remains resilient in the face of external economic challenges. Our fundamentals are strong, the ringgit is stabilising and our economy is on track for a higher gross domestic product (GDP) growth this year.

“We have also seen the return of capital flow to the market,” said Bursa Malaysia chief executive officer Datuk Seri Tajuddin Atan.

CIMB Group chief executive officer Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Aziz said it was now the most opportune time for investors looking for growth opportunities in an advanced emerging capital market to look at Malaysia.

“Malaysia has strong legal and investment framework, and investor-friendly policies and incentives. It is also the gateway to access the growing Asean market with its combined GDP of US$2.4 trillion (RM10.3 trillion).

“Many of the companies at IMKL 2017 have businesses both within and beyond Malaysia. This is a testament to its importance as a regional hub, particularly for Southeast Asia,” he added.

The conference will be officiated at by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who will also launch Bursa’s latest initiative that will make it easier for underserved small and medium enterprises to raise funds from the capital market in a more efficient manner.

IMKL 2017 will present five plenary sessions that will see top foreign fund managers and captains of industry having a discourse with regulators and policymakers on topics ranging from the strength of Malaysia’s fundamentals and their ability to navigate economic uncertainties, to plans by pension and investment funds to increase returns to shareholders. Zarina Zakariah