Malaysia and Thailand aim to boost halal and rubber value chains for global markets

During the 3rd Economic Forum 2026 in Kuala Lumpur, Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir called for Malaysia and Thailand to leverage their respective halal and rubber expertise to generate higher-value opportunities. He argued that the partnership's worth should be judged by the added value of collaborative projects rather than sheer export and import figures. The minister highlighted the geographic closeness of the two countries as an advantage for connectivity, but urged a broader assessment of potential.

The forum, themed around strengthening resilient value chains, was hosted by the Royal Thai Embassy and aims to open doors to ASEAN and global markets. Participants are expected to explore joint ventures, standards harmonization, and market access strategies in both sectors.