Kuala lumpur: Malaysia must enhance its market foundations, improve efficiency, and broaden access to capital to remain competitive in the global financial and capital markets. Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan emphasized the importance of these steps during an address at an event hosted by CIMB Group Holdings Bhd.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Amir Hamzah highlighted the necessity for strong collaboration among regulators, financial institutions, market infrastructure providers, institutional investors, government-linked investment companies (GLICs), asset managers, and corporates. This collaboration, he noted, is crucial for maintaining a collective commitment to the future of Malaysia's financial ecosystem.

"The presence of financial market stakeholders sends a powerful signal of confidence in our markets and in our shared ambition to build a modern, dynamic, and future-ready financial ecosystem," Amir Hamzah stated in his keynote speech.

At the same event, CIMB launched Malaysia's first tokenised deposit settlement for tokenised sukuk, marking a significant milestone in the country's financial landscape. A panel discussion titled 'Beyond Digitalisation - How Will Malaysia Win?' was also featured, exploring the nation's opportunities and capabilities in the digital financial era.

Amir Hamzah further underlined that the future financial system will not be solely defined by technology. "It will be defined by our ability to combine innovation with trust, efficiency with resilience, and progress with stability," he remarked. He emphasized that while emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, and tokenisation offer new opportunities, their true value lies in improving market efficiency, reducing friction, and expanding access to economic opportunities.

He concluded by asserting that Malaysia must develop a financial system that is more efficient, connected, and inclusive to support the country's future growth and competitiveness.