Selangor government has launched an initiative to accelerate capacity building and competitiveness of local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to facilitate their integration into high-value global supply chains.
Invest Selangor Business Linkages and Advancement Programme (Blast) was launched by state investment, trade and mobility committee chairman Ng Sze Han.
“Blast aims to enhance the operational capabilities of local SMEs by establishing strategic linkages with multinational corporations, mid-tier companies and industry anchor companies,” Invest Selangor Bhd said in a media statement.
“By fostering these connections, the programme seeks to enable greater participation in high-value supply chains, drive long-term business sustainability and ensure international market readiness.
“This initiative builds upon the industrial foundation established under the First Selangor Plan (RS-1) and is introduced under the framework of the Second Selangor Plan (RS-2): Local Market Integration Programme.”
The agency said this reflected the state administration’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that macroeconomic investments yielded tangible, sustainable opportunities for the domestic business community.
“Selangor continues to solidify its position as Malaysia’s premier investment destination, having secured RM33.5bil in approved investments during the first quarter of 2026.
“This economic momentum follows a robust performance in 2025, where Selangor recorded gross domestic product (GDP) of RM460.1bil, contributing 26.5% to the national GDP, the highest share among all Malaysian states.”
Blast, a structured six-month programme, will guide participating SMEs through capability development, corporate mentorship and market readiness initiatives.
The programme will culminate in dedicated business-matching sessions during the Selangor International Business Summit (SIBS) 2026 scheduled to take place from Oct 14 to 17 at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC).
Departing from conventional, one-off business matchmaking, Invest Selangor said Blast focused on institutionalising long-term partnerships between SMEs and industry leaders.
“This approach ensures that participating enterprises can systematically upgrade their operational capabilities, comply with stringent international standards and expand effectively into regional and global markets.”
The inaugural cohort focuses on four strategic sectors identified as key drivers of Selangor’s future economic growth: aerospace, rail, life sciences and digital technology.
A total of 12 SMEs have been selected for the pioneer batch, with three companies representing each target sector.
Speaking at the launch, Ng said, “While we take pride in Selangor’s continued success in attracting investments, that is only part of our mission.
“Our greater responsibility is to ensure that these investments generate meaningful and lasting opportunities for Selangor businesses, particularly our SMEs.”
He said Blast was not simply about matching SMEs with strategic corporate partners; it was about preparing them for success.
The programme is delivered through a strategic collaboration with Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (MTDC), which will lead management and implementation of the SME capacity-building programme alongside corporate and ecosystem partners.
Together, they will leverage their expertise in mentorship, knowledge transfer and institutional networking to strengthen Selangor’s industrial ecosystem and enhance the competitiveness of local enterprises.
MTDC group chief executive officer Mohammad Hazani Hassan said, “Through Blast, we are creating structured pathways for promising SMEs to engage with anchor companies, strengthen their industry readiness and compete for opportunities within strategic supply chains.”
Through the implementation of Blast, Invest Selangor aims to drive a minimum revenue growth of 5% among participating SMEs by 2030, while simultaneously cultivating a highly resilient, integrated and sustainable economic ecosystem across the state.
Also present at the event were Invest Selangor chief executive officer Datuk Hasan Azhari Idris and the programme’s strategic corporate partners.
