KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 16 (Bernama) — MIDA’s Invest Malaysia Facilitation Centre (IMFC), established in December 2023 to ensure approved investments translate into operational reality, has resolved more than 44,000 investor cases with an implementation rate of 99.9 percent. MIDA Chairman YM Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz shared the milestone today at an appreciation luncheon for IMFC partner agencies.
These figures reflect a deliberate shift in Malaysia’s approach to investments, to cover not only promotion but also effective execution. Out of 4,377 manufacturing projects approved between 2021 to September 2025, 90 percent are already operational.
These figures were shared during MIDA’s appreciation luncheon to recognise the contributions of officials and representatives from 12 partner ministries and agencies who have been instrumental in IMFC’s success, particularly in ensuring a smoother investor journey, and realising approved investments as quickly as possible for the benefit of Malaysian companies and SMEs, as well as our people.
“Investment promotion cannot end with the issuance of an approval letter. What matters is what happens after,” said YM Tengku Zafrul. “Every one of those 44,000 cases represents a moment where an investor needed a problem solved quickly and competently. IMFC exists to provide speedy resolution, regulatory certainty and access to the right resources for investors – which collectively strengthen Malaysia’s competitiveness and safeguard livelihoods for Malaysia to deliver the benefits of the ‘People Economy’ on the ground.”
A WHOLE-OF-GOVERNMENT OPERATION
The IMFC operates as a coordinated platform spanning 12 ministries and agencies. The Immigration Department of Malaysia has facilitated 34,099 cases, the Royal Malaysian Customs Department4,418, and the Inland Revenue Board1,767. Tenaga Nasional Berhad, the Ministry of Human Resources, PERKESO, and Telekom Malaysia have collectively addressed hundreds more.
The practical consequences of this coordination are visible in individual cases. In one instance, IMFC facilitation compressed what would ordinarily be a five-month power infrastructure process into three days, enabling a major semiconductor manufacturer to remain on schedule. In another, streamlined customs clearance at entry ports supported a multinational’s expansion programme. A third company benefited from swift resolution of an electrical supply issue that could have delayed operations by months.
MIDA Chief Executive Officer Datuk Sikh Shamsul Ibrahim Sikh Abdul Majid attributed IMFC’s effectiveness to a culture of end-to-end accountability.
“What distinguishes the IMFC model is something that goes beyond structure and process. It is a mindset,” said Datuk Sikh Shamsul. “The IMFC team operates with a sense of ownership over every case. There is no passing of files from one desk to another without accountability. When an agency partner is needed, the coordination happens immediately, not after several rounds of correspondence. This end-to-end accountability is what investors notice, and it is what sets Malaysia apart.”
RISING IN GLOBAL RANKINGS
Malaysia’s improvement in the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking, from 34th to 23rd, reflects the cumulative effect of these facilitation efforts. MIDA views the country’s ability to convert approved investments into functioning operations as a meaningful competitive differentiator amid geostrategic tensions, supply chain reconfigurations, and rising economic nationalism.
“Through extensive conversations with investors, both foreign and domestic, I have observed that their requirements extend beyond financial incentives alone,” YM Tengku Zafrul said. “They consistently emphasise three fundamental priorities: speed of execution, policy certainty and consistency, and strategic access to skilled talent, reliable infrastructure, and senior decision-makers who understand their business.”
NATIONWIDE EXPANSION AND STRATEGIC REORIENTATION
IMFC Johor, launched in February 2025 as part of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone framework and jointly operated by IRDA, Invest Johor, and MIDA, has received approximately 1,000 investment enquiries since its establishment. In 2026, The Government intends to expand the IMFC model to other regions, ensuring that quality investment facilitation extends beyond the Klang Valley.
The expansion coincides with a broader strategic shift. MIDA’s New Incentive Framework, implemented in the first quarter of 2026, directs support toward investors contributing advanced technologies, creating quality employment, and delivering substantive returns to the Malaysian economy. Through the #InvestLokal initiative, MIDA is also strengthening its engagement with domestic investors, particularly small and medium enterprises.
MIDA’s TRACK (Project Implementation and Facilitation Office) complements IMFC through its On-Track Digital System, which provides real-time project tracking to enhance transparency, accountability, and operational efficiency from approval through to implementation.
“Given finite public resources, we must be strategic and deliberate in allocating our support,” YM Tengku Zafrul said. “We are now directing support toward investors who contribute advanced technologies, create quality employment, and deliver substantive returns to the Malaysian economy. We are shifting our emphasis from volume to value, from approvals to outcomes.”
Datuk Sikh Shamsul added: “From an operational perspective, MIDA is fully prepared to execute whatever strategic direction is set. Our team is more experienced, more integrated, and more committed than ever before. The foundation we have built through IMFC over the past two years gives us the confidence to move into the next phase.”
About The Author
