Not all business in Malaysia is done in the capital Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysia Global Business Forum will look at the state capitals where there is plenty of business being done yet many overseas business people are yet to explore both in terms of business opportunities and as a place to visit.
According to Invest Perak, the government body responsible for promoting investment into the state the promoted industry that will drive the economy forward include: Iron & Steel-related Industries, extraction of the natural-resources mainly non-metallic minerals, Perak is the country’s major producer of limestone products, tin, kaolin, clay and mica, Marine Oil & Gas-related Engineering Fabrication and Marine-related Industries, Machinery & Machinery Components, Transport Equipment & Components, Electrical & Electronics, Manufacturing-related Services, Renewable Energy-Related Industries, Bio-chemMedical & Scientific Devices, Biotechnology, Education Sector, Halal Industries, Oil & Gas Downstream Activities
The Perak government has plans to create the Southern Perak Development Region encompassing the Batang Padang and Hilir Perak districts as the area is not within any economic development corridor. Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said the area’s overall development plan when fully complet
ed, would be officially forwarded to the federal government. “We want this area to be developed using the models of the economic development corridors or the Iskandar Malaysia Development Region in Johor,”
Historically, Ipoh developed into one of Malaysia’s main cities due to an early 19th century tin mining boom. During the British colonial era, it was Malaya’s second administrative centre after Kuala Lumpur. A post-independence economic decline let the city escape the towers of concrete that represented 1970
s ideals of progress and its colonial importance still shines in the grand old buildings, such as the railway station and the town hall, which complement the rows of shop houses. These days Ipoh is perhaps best known for its excellent restaurants, hawkers, and famous local dishes. Making a business trip to the city well worth the 2 hour drive from Kuala Lumpur.
A Few Things to Do
White Water Rafting: The excitement of rapids and get up close and personal with nature, experience an exotic and mystifying rainforest where the fastest butterflies swarm by the riverbank while you enjoy swimming in the river or jump from trees or just glide down the river on a raft.
Caving Gua Tempurung the largest limestone cave in Peninsular Malaysia, Located close to the North South Highway provides the opportunity to explore in detail the insides of a limestone cave, experience the cave with a short tour or adventure into the far end of the cave by walking off the walkways and i
n the cave’s river.
The Lost World of Tambun Hot Springs and Spa, is Ipoh’s only water theme park, it provides great rides and entertainment for families and also organizes tours into the nearby limestone caves for those interested in eco-tourism. The recently opened a Petting Zoo allows children the opportunity to feed and pet a variety of animals.
Where to Stay

Finding the right place to stay is perhaps the most difficult decision when travelling outside the capital. The Casuarina Hotel at Meru is a new 146 guestrooms & suites Premier Business hotel strategically located within the heart of Bandar Meru Raya just outside of the centre of Ipoh, which can make travel in and around the area easier.
The Convention Centre, the Meru Raya Convention Centre, is the biggest pillarless convention hall in Ipoh with a seating capacity of 2500 pax with up-to-date audio-visual and meeting aids. With a modern contemporary concept, all rooms are spacious and equipped with luxurious guestrooms features. Combined with warm hospitality and the reputable ‘Casuarina’ service, your stay with us will truly be a memorable and fulfilling experience.

Services
Stakeholder mapping, analysis, engagement and communication needs to be detailed to avoid business losses or even worse, a crisis. How can you do this effectively to prevent failure? ...
Data-driven business decisions have never been as crucial, especially in this era. MGBF leverages off, technology, experience and market presence to aid businesses in making accurate decisions. ...
MGBF provides comprehensive strategic advice and results-focused solutions to solve clients' problems in business-government relations so they can focus on their core business. ...
A critical business challenge is meeting the right decision-makers and potential buyers through the best channel and platform. How will you improve your business competency? ...
Upcoming Events
MGBF is hosting a networking session with Romania's global analyst, Radu Magdin, in Kuala Lumpur. Join the discussion on strategic shifts and conflict flash points that impact Malaysia’s international facing business.
Expanding on the Malaysian government's efforts to promote the country as a trade and investment destination of choice, MGBF will engage with the many industry leaders who announced multi-billion dollar commitments.
The global trend towards a sustainable future is driven by multiple forces. What does Malaysia have to do to achieve resilience at the corporate level while creating new business opportunities?
Special session: Cyberwarfare Waged on the Corporate Sector - Lessons from the Russia-Ukraine Crisis. Corporations are in a digital arms race that many don't realise. How does this relate to your organisation?
MGBF In The News
The classic knee-jerk reaction is to say, fire the coach, change the leadership of associations, and reduce the funding till they start performing better. This kind of negative reinforcement may work for kindergarten children, but we are dealing with high-performance adults – individuals much further along in their psychological and […]
Since its earliest tea plantations in 1929, Cameron Highlands has grown to become a key player in the agricultural landscape of Malaysia, producing 40 per cent of all vegetables grown. Despite Malaysia shifting its economic focus away from agriculture, the industry remains imperative for food security and the livelihoods of […]
Although at first glance the travel industry and the agricultural sector appear to have nothing in common, they actually share more than meets the eye. The economic benefits of tourism to the agricultural sector can be multiplied several times over. “Tourism brings the end consumers closer to the source, which […]
The Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF) recently held a high-level roundtable themed ‘Designing the Future of the Digital Economy’, attended by industry leaders and business associations. The guest of honour was Yang Berhormat Syerleena Abdul Rashid, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bukit Bendera in Penang. The MP’s Special Session […]
The Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF) will be hosting a roundtable on ‘Designing the Future of the Digital Economy’ on 23 February 2023. It is the culmination of the first three MGBF Exclusive Roundtable Series titled ‘The Evolving Threat Matrix in the Digital Economy’ held throughout 2022. According to the […]
The Founding Chairman of the Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF), Nordin Abdullah, today spoke on Bernama TV’s leading English talk show, The Brief, hosted by Jessy Chahal, on the topic of a stable political reality and what that means for the Malaysian economy. Nordin said, “The first thing that it […]
More than 1,100 years ago, Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi was developing the mathematical formulas that we know today as algorithms which now have become so intertwined with the business fortunes of global media giants and the very fabric of geopolitics. A series of recent high level international reports have revealed […]
KSK Land has been recognised by the Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF) for its role in attracting high net-worth individuals to Malaysia post-pandemic. The first challenge in investor attraction is “selling” the country. In the context of Asia, Malaysia is competing with some very established investment destinations. The second […]
Malaysia, in particular Kuala Lumpur, continues to position itself as a regional centre to do business, educate a family and enjoy a global lifestyle. One company, KSK Land, has taken the lead in positioning itself and the city of Kuala Lumpur as a property investment destination for the global citizen […]
The upcoming budget represents an opportunity to build resilience in the critical sectors that will form the backbone of the country’s future-facing economic ambitions. This however needs to be achieved in the context of managing the community sectors most impacted by COVID-19 over the past two years. The Keluarga Malaysia (Malaysian Family) […]
Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF) has moved to support the creative economy as the overall economy moves into a recovery phase following the COVID19 pandemic. As a step in the direction of normalcy, the MGBF has agreed to host the art exhibition “I Know You’re Somewhere So Far” by one […]
Congratulations to Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob for taking up the mantle of the ninth prime minister of Malaysia. There is nothing normal about the situation; it could not have been scripted but it has kept the spectrum of media, mainstream and social, gripped. The first order of business for […]
In a stirring speech to the nation, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. stamped his brand of leadership on the presidency, in his first act as the 46th president of the United State of America, it signaled several shifts. Perhaps the weather was foreboding with snow falling before the ceremony that […]
KUALA LUMPUR, 6 July 2022 – As the global economy continues to deal with unprecedented levels of disruption caused by the pandemic and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the convergence of energy security and food security issues has become a front-of-mind issue faced by policy makers and consumers alike. […]
KUALA LUMPUR, 23 June 2022 — Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF) ties up with scoutAsia to ensure that businesses are equipped with deeper regional insights. The past two years has seen a massive shift in the way businesses are conducted with digitisation, digitalisation and automation continuously being adopted to improve […]
KUALA LUMPUR, 25 May 2022 – The Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF)’s exclusive roundtable on ‘Security Concerns in Critical Value Chains’ was held in a hybrid setting yesterday at the Eastin Hotel Kuala Lumpur. The guest of honour was Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Rafidah Aziz, former minister of […]
We live in the age of crisis. At the heart of any crisis is the threat of rapid change. Change too deep or too wide that the current coping mechanisms for an individual, corporation or government are unable to remain resilient. An unwelcome paradigm shift, like the proverbial spider, that […]
The Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF) has released a report following the roundtable on ‘Digital Resilience in the Corporate Sector’, which was recently held in Kuala Lumpur. In attendance as guest of honour was Deputy Minister of Communications and Multimedia, Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin. The report recommended several critical development […]
Trade and investment delegations will trickle back over the next few months, but the second half of the year should see considerable return of business travellers. It was learnt that over 50 per cent of international business chambers and industry associations surveyed will consider sending exploratory teams to Malaysia during […]