Under Malaysia’s chairmanship of Asean-BAC, Nazir has sought to reposition the council as a facilitator rather than just an advocate. He points to examples such as Sime Darby Property’s collaboration in logistics with Singapore’s YCH Group, and a Malaysian company expanding Musang King durian cultivation in the Philippines — both projects in which Asean-BAC played a role.
To many in the private sector, Asean summits have too often resembled talking shops, heavy on lofty promises but light on solutions to daily business challenges. Nazir Razak, chairman of the Asean Business Advisory Council (Asean-BAC) Malaysia, insists it is time to move beyond speeches and declarations. He wants the bloc’s premier business gathering to become a place where tangible deals are done.
“The most important thing is that we help get deals done,” Nazir tells The Edge Malaysia in an interview ahead of the Asean Business and Investment Summit (ABIS) 2025 to be held next month at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) in Kuala Lumpur. “Sometimes, at conferences, you sit through panels, but not much gets done. But what is more important is what happens on the sidelines.”
