PETALING JAYA: Budget 2026, which was tabled on Friday, has drawn positive, optimistic reactions from key capital market institutions, with both Bursa Malaysia and Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) welcoming the government’s targeted initiatives to boost economic resilience and unlock new growth avenues.
Bursa Malaysia praised the Budget’s strategic push for sustainable, technology-led progress, highlighting allocations towards semiconductor development, digital grants and equity programmes as strong signals of the nation’s commitment to nurturing high-impact industries and empowering businesses across the board.
Echoing this sentiment, the SC underscored Budget 2026 as a pivotal moment in shaping an inclusive, innovation-driven capital market.
With measures aligned with national blueprints such as the Madani Economy and the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030), the SC highlighted new mechanisms, such as the Asean Business Entity (ABE) status initiative and expanded co-investment funds, as game changers for Malaysia’s mid-tier companies and regional ambitions.
Both regulators affirmed their readiness to support the implementation of these initiatives, ensuring the capital market remains a dynamic enabler of long-term prosperity.
Bursa Malaysia CEO Datuk Fad’l Mohamed said with investments of RM550 million from Khazanah Nasional Bhd and Kumpulan Wang Persaraan into Malaysia’s semiconductor ecosystem to strengthen collaborations between local businesses with multinational companies, Bursa Malaysia is optimistic that this will deepen industrial linkages and enhance Malaysia’s position in the global semiconductor value chain.
Bursa Malaysia also lauds the government’s focus on technology-driven growth, particularly through the Malaysia Digital Accelerator Grant, which allocates RM53 million to accelerate the adoption of emerging technologies.
Fad’l said, “This complements Cradle Fund’s RM55 million for equity investment programmes and innovation workshops, which have now been expanded to the private sector.
“The allocation of RM40 million via government-linked investment companies and government-linked companies, along with Ekuinas’ commitment to grow and scale its investee companies, it will build more competitive Bumiputera businesses.
“The exchange looks forward to working closely with partners and facilitating these companies through our suite of fundraising avenues and services.”
Fad’l said that with board diversity being one of the key pillars of good governance, Bursa Malaysia will continue to work with the SC and ecosystem partners through engagement and advocacy to increase women’s representation on boards, beyond the 30% target already achieved by 45% of public listed companies.
“Bursa Malaysia is committed to supporting our stakeholders in translating the announced measures into tangible outcomes for investors, businesses and the nation. We stand ready as the fundraising platform for all businesses and the preferred marketplace for investors,“ Fad’l said.
Meanwhile, the SC welcomed the Budget 2026 measures to promote sustainable growth by broadening inclusion and unlocking high-growth economic opportunities. It said the capital market remains a vital engine for national growth. As such, the SC welcomes the announcements that will stimulate greater activity in both the public and private markets.
These are primarily aimed at ensuring targeted funding support for regional businesses and MSMEs.
Further, the SC said these measures and initiatives, which are aligned with national blueprints such as the 13th Malaysian Plan, the Madani Economy Framework, the National Energy Transition Roadmap and NIMP 2030 are poised to sustain Malaysia’s economic trajectory.
SC chairman Datuk Mohammad Faiz Azmi said Budget 2026 is a strong statement of intent for the Malaysian capital market to lay a resilient foundation for long-term national prosperity and economic competitiveness.
“Our focus is dual: to raise the ceiling for market growth, while simultaneously raising the floor by making our markets more inclusive. By expanding allocations for mechanisms such as the NIMP Strategic Co-Investment Fund (NIMP CoSIF) and the Malaysia Co-investment Fund (MyCIF), we continue to ensure that capital is directed towards future growth engines.”
Mohammad Faiz said the ABE status initiative will directly empower Malaysian companies to build scale and become regional powerhouses. “The SC is proud to oversee this initiative, which is for listed companies with a strong Asean presence and mid-tier firms with regional potential.”
He added that the success of the Single-Family Office (SFO) Scheme, the expansion of NIMP CoSIF and MyCIF, and the introduction of ABE demonstrate that Malaysia’s capital market is adapting, opening, and leading in a new era of regional capital flows.
The SFO Scheme stands as a powerful example of policy translating into confidence. It targets RM2 billion in assets under management by the end of 2026. In under a year, six family offices have been approved with nearly RM400 million in AUM and many more are preparing to follow.
Mohammad Faiz said the SC is fully committed to implementing these initiatives, which directly support Madani Economy’s aspiration to build a robust, inclusive and high-value economy for all Malaysians.
