Malaysia is the country with best overall investment conditions among emerging and developing (E&D) nations in Asia, according to the Global Opportunity Index (GOI) 2024 report by the US’s Milken Institute.
Globally, Malaysia has an overall ranking of 27, ahead of Thailand (37) and China (39).
Zafrul Abdul Aziz, Indonesian Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, was quoted by local media as saying that it is a testament to Malaysia’s efforts in enhancing the ease of doing business and addressing key pain points along investors' journey.
He noted that the recognition reflects Malaysia’s volumes of focus on efficient implementation of approved investments, while motivating the country to deliver even better service to help investors make Malaysia their gateway to Asia.
Milken Institute said Malaysia, the country with best investment conditions in the region, performed significantly above the E&D average in financial services and institutional frameworks.
In addition to Malaysia, China, the region’s largest economy, scores significantly above the E&D average on financial access and financial size and conditions, the two subcategories included in financial services, it said.
Milken also found that E&D Asia performed relatively well in financial services, with its average score in this category closely trailing that of E&D Europe and ahead of other E&D regions.
The GOI categories are business perception, economic fundamentals, financial services, institutional framework, and international standards and policy