KUALA LUMPUR (March 24): Mature, multilingual and multicultural standard of talent and having a pro-business government have helped instil confidence among investors in Malaysia, according to InvestKL chief executive officer (CEO) Muhammad Azmi Zulkifli.

Speaking at a media briefing in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday (March 24), he highlighted that Malaysia also has improving infrastructure in place and these factors have facilitated investors' experience in the country.

"During the pandemic period, some of the multinational companies (MNCs) could not operate their hubs in other regions such as the United States and Europe.

"And these MNCs had to transfer their work to Kuala Lumpur, and what surprised them was that Kuala Lumpur could deliver better and more, and that has given them confidence to ensure that their activities could stay and expand here in Kuala Lumpur," Azmi shared.

Meanwhile, he stressed that InvestKL will look into more high-impact and quality investments in the future, which will generate a multiplier effect on the local economy.

"Last year, we attracted a single investment worth RM1 billion. However, other investments probably ranged at an average of RM200 million. So, it really depends on the type of activities and investments that can bring good returns to the economy," he explained.

In 2021, InvestKL secured RM2.46 billion worth of investments through 13 global service hubs, which created 2,281 regional executive jobs.

Since its inception in 2011, InvestKL has attracted a total of RM18.3 billion in approved and committed investments via the establishments of 116 global service hubs by leading multinational and fast-growing companies.

This in turn created 16,392 regional executive jobs for Malaysians, Azmi shared.