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.
Speaking at the 10th World Bonsai Convention 2026 yesterday, Nga said the broader landscape sector contributed RM40bil annually to the economy under the National Landscape Industry Master Plan, but the bonsai segment remained undersupplied despite growing 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.”
“The international demand exists, but the limited supply of quality trees is holding us back,” he said.
To tap into the high-value market, Nga urged local practitioners to shift “from passion to production, expertise to enterprise, and hobby to industry”.
He said Malaysia already had the necessary ingredients to build an export-ready ecosystem, including rich biodiversity, skilled practitioners and growing international interest.
Nga cited Japan, China, Taiwan and South Korea as examples where bonsai had evolved into a broader economic ecosystem encompassing commercial nurseries, technical training, tourism and international trade.
He added that his ministry, through the National Landscape Department, was ready to work with bonsai associations and industry players to develop a similar framework in Malaysia.
The quadrennial World Bonsai Convention is being hosted in Malaysia for the first time.
