KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia can transform its bonsai sector from a niche hobby into a lucrative commercial industry, says Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming on Saturday (Aug 29).
Speaking at the 10th World Bonsai Convention 2026 at Pavilion Bukit Jalil, Nga revealed that the broader landscape sector contributes RM40bil annually to the economy under the National Landscape Industry Master Plan. However, the bonsai segment remains undersupplied despite surging global demand.
"Overseas collectors from across Asia—including Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, India, and Singapore—are actively sourcing finished bonsai and raw materials here," Nga said. "The international demand exists, but the limited supply of quality trees is holding us back."
To tap into this high-value economic activity, Nga urged local practitioners to shift "from passion to production, expertise to enterprise, and hobby to industry." He noted that Malaysia already possesses the necessary ingredients to build an export-ready ecosystem: rich biodiversity, skilled artists, and growing international interest.
Nga cited nations like Japan, China, Taiwan, and South Korea as blueprints, where bonsai has evolved into a complete economic loop encompassing commercial nurseries, technical training, tourism, and international trade.
He added that his ministry, through the National Landscape Department (JLN), is ready to partner with bonsai associations and industry players to build a similar framework locally.
The quadrennial World Bonsai Convention is being hosted in Malaysia for the first time.
