Negeri Sembilan is shifting from an assembly and support hub to a high-value manufacturing base, Deputy Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Sim Tze Tzin said on Tuesday in Seremban. He said projects such as NS Semiconductor Valley and Aerospace Valley have helped turn the state into a global competitor with its own strengths. [1]
Sim said the federal government will work with the state administration to support the industrial sector with financing, technical expertise and access to international markets. He said MIDF has channelled RM127.18 million to industries in Negeri Sembilan, while RM40.6 million was allocated last year for SME automation, digital transformation and green technology. Approved investments in the state reached more than RM20 billion in 2025, with MVV 2.0 and industrial park growth expected to create 22,790 jobs. [1]
Malaysia also moved to deepen industrial ties with China as both sides sought to co-develop future industries. At a forum in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said TVET is Malaysia’s first line of readiness for the future economy, and he pointed to electric mobility, battery technology, renewable energy, smart manufacturing, digital systems and talent development as key areas for cooperation. [2]
Zahid said Malaysia and China should use their different strengths to build regional value chains. "Malaysia brings strategic geography, a growing industrial base and a young, trainable workforce. China brings technological depth, industrial scale and proven leadership in new energy industries," he said. He added that the partnership could strengthen Asean’s industrial transformation and create more than bilateral gains. [2]
The push for new partnerships also extended to Germany, which is seeking deeper investment in the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone. A 70-member German business delegation visited Johor on Wednesday and Thursday to explore investment conditions in the zone, as Berlin looks to diversify supply chains and expand investment links. [3]
Johor was described as a strategic gateway into Asean because of its maritime connectivity, land availability and multilingual skilled workforce. Germany has about 750 companies operating in Malaysia and around 90 in Johor, while SICK AG has invested more than RM1 billion in the state and is linked to 2,000 jobs. German business representative Silke Riecken-Daerr said, "As a trading nation, we really have an interest in diversifying our supply chains, forging new partnerships and investment opportunities, and I think Johor is a very good candidate for that." [3]
