KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26 (Bernama) -- The US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), organised an in-country workshop on Monday, serving as a strategic platform to support Malaysia’s role as a regional digital leader.
In a statement, USABC said the workshop aimed at deepening understanding and alignment on the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), via strategic public-private dialogue and sharing best practices to advance the timely and high-standard upcoming implementation of DEFA.
“The discussions highlighted Malaysia’s strong commitment to advancing regional digital integration under its leadership as ASEAN chair in 2025, with DEFA serving as a key driver for inclusive and sustainable economic growth,” it said.
It said the workshop brought together leading private sector representatives and industry associations to share insights on how the DEFA implementation can enable fair, safe, commercially competitive, and foster innovation for the ASEAN digital trade landscape.
Participants also exchanged views on aligning Malaysia’s national digital initiatives with DEFA’s provisions, particularly in areas such as data governance, digital trade facilitation and non-discriminatory treatment of digital products, it said.
By promoting collaboration between government, industry, and academia, USABC said the workshop reinforced the importance of building a trusted, interoperable and innovation-driven digital trade discipline that empowers businesses of all sizes, including micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to thrive regionally and globally.
“With ASEAN targeting the substantial conclusion of DEFA by the end of 2025, USABC reaffirms its commitment to supporting the region through close engagement with governments, capacity-building initiatives and expert-driven dialogues.
“USABC and its member companies remain dedicated to advancing public-private partnerships that drive digital transformation, regulatory coherence and inclusive growth across ASEAN’s digital economy,” it said.
The workshop was supported by Amazon, Google, and Mastercard.
-- BERNAMA
