JOHOR BAHRU: Johor must position itself as a leader in the Orange Economy to drive innovation, high-value jobs and exports through creative and cultural industries.
Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi stated that the state’s ambitions complement national efforts under the 13th Malaysia Plan which identifies the Orange Economy as a key growth pillar.
He emphasised that the Orange Economy now stands at the very heart of national competitiveness rather than occupying marginal status.
Onn Hafiz noted that Johor is already advancing blue and green economies through initiatives like the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone while recognising similar transformative potential in the Orange Economy.
He cited South Korea’s cultural content industry worth over 113 billion United States dollars employing more than 600,000 people with exports exceeding 12 billion United States dollars annually.
The global popularity of K-pop group BTS alone generates nearly 3.7 billion United States dollars per year while creating around 8,000 jobs according to his statement.
Japan demonstrates comparable promise with its anime industry valued at 19 billion United States dollars projected to double by 2028 supported by 800 million global fans.
Asian creative content from K-dramas and K-pop to Japanese anime has become a mainstream global force rivaling Hollywood and Europe in audiences, revenues and cultural influence within three decades.
Asia has proven that creativity and cultural authenticity can compete effectively and even establish new global trends despite being a relative newcomer.
ASEAN is emerging as a creative powerhouse leveraging its young population, digital connectivity and rich cultural heritage to shape new growth frontiers.
Malaysia already positions itself as a sector leader with creative industries contributing significantly to gross domestic product and employment in film, design, gaming and digital content.
Johor as Malaysia’s southern gateway and vibrant talent hub possesses every advantage to advance this creative ecosystem through investment in storytellers, designers, animators and musicians.
Building this ecosystem will provide high-value jobs for youth while exporting Johor’s identity globally following successful models from Korea and Japan.
The ASEAN Digital Content Summit 2025 brings together over 3,000 industry professionals from Asia, the United States and Europe strengthening ASEAN’s digital ecosystem.
This three-day summit features more than 10 country pavilions, 50 visionary speakers and over 100 innovative exhibitors from across the region and beyond. – Bernama
