ASEAN Must Strengthen Innovation Ecosystems To Sustain Growth - Ahmad Zahid

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 3 (Bernama) -- ASEAN must strengthen its collective innovation ecosystem and avoid working in silos to sustain growth and resilience in the coming decade, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said innovation has become the new currency of competitiveness, the foundation of economic resilience and the engine of regional growth.

Ahmad Zahid said the ASEAN Plan of Action on Science, Technology and Innovation (A-PAS-TI) 2026–2035 is central to this effort as it aligns policy, research, capital and talent towards a shared innovation agenda.

He said the momentum of innovation is already visible across the region, noting that Malaysia has risen to 33rd in the Global Innovation Index, signalling a region “rising not by chance, but by choice”.

“This shows ASEAN is maturing into a community that invests in talent, science and technology as strategic assets. And none of this can be achieved in silos. To unlock the next decade of ASEAN’s growth, governments must work hand in hand with universities, industry, investors and civil society.

“Only then can ASEAN move from being an emerging innovation region to becoming one of the world’s most dynamic centres of science and technological excellence,” he said at the opening of the Cyberjaya Conversations Summit 2025 here today.

Also present was Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang.

ASEAN now comprises 11 member states: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and, most recently, Timor-Leste.

Ahmad Zahid said ASEAN must also prepare for new frontiers, with the emerging space economy — projected to exceed US$1 trillion globally — offering one of the strongest opportunities.

He said ASEAN is well-positioned to participate meaningfully, citing favourable geography for launches, a growing talent base and rapidly expanding digital infrastructure.

“By harnessing satellite technology, geo-spatial intelligence and downstream applications in agriculture, disaster management, communications and navigation, I believe ASEAN can leapfrog traditional development constraints.

“This is not merely technological progress, it is the unlocking of new economic value and the enhancement of everyday life for millions. For ASEAN to truly compete at the frontiers of the global economy, we must strengthen the connective fabric that binds our region - the infrastructure of ideas, talent, and technology,” he said.

-- BERNAMA