PHNOM PENH: A Malaysian private sector-led trade mission is exploring investment opportunities in Cambodia’s growing small and medium enterprise (SME) sector, focusing on strategic areas such as agriculture, healthcare and real estate.
Led by the Malaysia-Cambodia Business Association (MCBA), the delegation visited Cambodia from June 26 to 29 to identify potential partnerships and promote two-way investment, according to Cambodia’s state media, Agence Kampuchea Presse.
"Our goal is to encourage Malaysian investors to invest in Cambodia, and likewise, facilitate Cambodian enterprises in exploring opportunities in Malaysia and forming strategic partnerships,” said MCBA president Datuk Seri Ricky Yaw, as quoted by the state media.
Minister of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation Hem Vanndy assured the visiting delegation that foreign business entities can enjoy a stable and investor-friendly environment.
"Cambodia is an evolving, yet peaceful and stable country committed to economic development. You must have faith and hope that there is a future and growth for your business here,” he said.
Vanndy also encouraged Malaysian investors to consider setting up factories within Cambodia’s Special Economic Zones (SEZs) or establishing a dedicated Malaysian SEZ, according to the state media.
Prime Minister Hun Manet, who met the delegation on June 26, said it is an opportune time to invest in Cambodia as the government is enhancing the Kingdom’s competitiveness at regional and international levels.
According to the National Institute of Statistics as of 2022, the Kingdom had 750,000 micro-, small and medium enterprises employing nearly three million workers including 1.8 million women.
Cambodia-Malaysia bilateral trade reached about RM3.6 billion (US$860 million) last year. - Bernama
