KUALA LUMPURL Khazanah Nasional Bhd stands ready to support the government’s initiatives to explore opportunities in emerging and strategic sectors, as part of its efforts to enhance Malaysia’s economic resilience, said its managing director, Datuk Amirul Feisal Wan Zahir.
He said Khazanah, as the nation’s sovereign wealth fund, continuously undertakes research on potential opportunities across various sectors, including those critical to advanced technologies, to advance the country’s economic agenda.
"We are aware that there is a government-to-government (G2G) discussion with China on rare earth elements (REE), and we stand ready to support the government’s efforts to explore and understand emerging and strategic sectors, including REE, to secure Malaysia’s economic future,” he told Bernama on the sidelines of the Khazanah Megatrends Forum 2025 today.
Reuters reported on Thursday that the two countries are in early discussions on a project to process rare earths, with Khazanah expected to partner with a Chinese state-owned firm to build a refinery in Malaysia.
Amirul said the sovereign wealth fund remains open to engaging with all stakeholders in advancing Malaysia’s long-term economic interests.
"Khazanah is open to talking to all parties to advance Malaysia’s economic interests,” he added.
He said Khazanah’s role would be to assess opportunities that not only create long-term value for the nation but also align with global trends in sustainability and innovation.
On Aug 27, 2025, the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) said the government is committed to developing and attracting potential investors to strengthen production activities along Malaysia’s REE supply chain.
It said the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 and the National Advanced Materials Technology Roadmap 2021-2030 would support the government’s efforts in developing advanced materials, including high-value REE mineral ore resources.
Malaysia is estimated to hold 16.1 million tonnes of non-radioactive rare earth elements, with a market value of RM809.6 billion. - Bernama
