Malaysia Emerges Winner As Global Disruptions Drive Supply Chain Shift
GEORGE TOWN (Penang, Malaysia), Oct 8 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has emerged as a winner amid global disruptions caused by tariffs, wars, oil supply disruptions and supply chain rebalancing, with growing profits and purchases from local suppliers, said the United States Embassy Chargé d'Affaires to Malaysia, David Gamble.
He said the strengthening Malaysia-US relationship, underpinned by more than 50 years of shared history and trust, had created a profitable environment for businesses and supported continued investment in the country.
“Things are shifting, but profits in Malaysia are increasing, and 94 per cent of US companies here have either kept their investments or added to them.
"This is only possible because of our 50 years of shared history and the trust America has in transferring our technology to companies and to Malaysians who take good care of it," he said at a press conference during the American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) Penang Dialogue 2026 here on Thursday.
Gamble said Penang remained an anchor for high-technology cooperation between Malaysia and the US, particularly in advanced manufacturing and the medical device industry.
"The medical device industry is growing rapidly, and Penang is at the heart of it considering it produces 50 per cent of the pacemakers that go to the US," he added.
Meanwhile, AMCHAM chief executive officer Siobhan Das said the 50-year foundation of trust between the two countries remained a key advantage in attracting further investment.
She said growing interest among US companies to invest or expand in Malaysia must be matched by adequate infrastructure, clear regulations and a strong talent pipeline.
Siobhan said American companies in Malaysia paid employees an average of 2.2 times the local wage and provided career development opportunities within multinational company ecosystems.
"We provide a platform to help the respective parties understand what the businesses need on the ground; we create an opportunity for dialogue, to raise concerns and to move toward taking action to handle them.
"That is the foundation, and the decisions being made now by the government, companies and stakeholders will impact whether we can continue this trust for the next 50 years. Many companies are showing more interest in investing in Malaysia," she added.
-- BERNAMA
