KOTA KINABALU: Malaysia urged Asean to place the Blue Economy at the heart of its growth agenda as it hosted the Third Asean Blue Economy Forum on Monday.
Deputy Economy Minister Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib said the 13th Malaysia Plan has identified the Blue Economy as a national priority, spanning aquaculture, eco-tourism, green shipping, renewable energy and marine biodiversity.
She also announced that Malaysia is drafting a Malaysia Blue Economy Blueprint to align policies and investments across ocean-related sectors while complementing the Asean framework.
The forum, themed “Invigoration of Blue Economy”, gathered policymakers, experts, industry players and civil society to deliberate on blue financing, innovation, skills and regional partnerships.
Malaysia reaffirmed its commitment as Asean Chair 2025 to translate dialogue into action and position the region as a global leader in ocean stewardship.