World

Malaysia businesses thrive on AI boom

Nineteen Malaysian companies enter Forbes Asia’s 2026 list of the 200 best companies with annual revenues of less than 1 billion USD, more than double the number from the previous year.

Kuala Lumpur (VNA) - Nineteen Malaysian companies enter Forbes Asia’s 2026 list of the 200 best companies with annual revenues of less than 1 billion USD, more than double the number from the previous year.

More than half of the Malaysian companies on the list have benefited from the country’s AI infrastructure boom.

Malaysia’s Southern Cable Group, a manufacturer of low-and high-voltage cables, made its debut on the list supported by the booming data centre industry, which contributed 15% of its 1.8-billion-MYR (440 million USD) revenue in 2025.

The Best Under A Billion list spotlights 200 publicly listed companies out of 19,000 in the Asia-Pacific region with annual sales above 10 million USD and below 1 billion USD. China had the largest number of companies on the list, with 28, followed by India with 27./.

VNA
#Forbes Asia #Best Under A Billion list Malaysia
Follow VietnamPlus

Related News

Malaysia propels semiconductor industry

Malaysia propels semiconductor industry

Speaking at a seminar in Kuala Lumpur on July 13, Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said Malaysia's electrical and electronics (E&E) exports rose 39.7% year-on-year to 382.9 billion MYR (95.7 billion USD) in the first five months of 2026, or 48.2% of the country's total exports.

See more

An electric vehicle on display at an auto exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in June 2026. (Photo: VNA)

Malaysia considers levy on EV sales to fund public charging infrastructure

Speaking during a question-and-answer session in the Senate on August 5, Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Johari Abdul Ghani said the proposal followed the government's loss of 3.3 billion MYR (825 million USD) in tax revenue through incentives for imported EVs, while investment in public charging infrastructure had fallen short of expectations.

Drought-hit farmland in Cibarusa, Bekasi, Indonesia. (Photo: AFP/VNA)

Indonesia takes drastic measures to respond to strong El Niño

Under its response plan for agriculture and forestry, Indonesia is stepping up forest and peatland fire prevention and firefighting, deploying weather modification technology, improving irrigation systems, putting boreholes into operation, distributing drought-resistant crop varieties, and expanding agricultural insurance. These measures aim to mitigate the impact of drought on rice, palm oil and coffee production.

Goods are loaded at a port in Bangkok, Thailand. (Photo: AFP/VNA)

Thailand's exports to US, Europe surge in fiscal 2026

Data from the Thailand Customs Department show that the country's total international trade reached approximately 21.4 trillion THB (660 billion USD) during the period, approaching the 22 trillion THB recorded for the whole of the previous fiscal year.

Malaysia, Thailand step up efforts to restore seafood trade

Malaysia, Thailand step up efforts to restore seafood trade

The inspections focus on biosecurity measures at farms, production systems, and related documentation, including laboratory analyses of chemical residues and the use of prohibited substances. Authorities are also assessing farms, hatcheries, laboratories and border inspection facilities in both countries.

Indonesia steps up response to forest fires

Indonesia steps up response to forest fires

Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) is preparing to deploy two water-bombing helicopters to accelerate firefighting efforts in the Mount Bromo area. Ground crews are continuing to battle the flames, although many fire hotspots remain in steep, hard-to-reach locations.

ASEAN urged to place children at centre of policymaking

ASEAN urged to place children at centre of policymaking

Citing data from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), she said the Asia-Pacific is home to around 1.12 billion children, the largest in the world. ASEAN alone records around 200 million people aged below 18, or nearly 30% of its population.

A corner of Bangkok, Thailand (Illustrative photo: VNA)

Thailand steps up business cooperation with Indonesia

Thailand and Indonesia should connect the “mainland and archipelago” by using Thailand as a manufacturing hub and Indonesia as a large market and maritime economic gateway, said Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul delivers the policy speech at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta on August 4. (Photo: VNA)

Thai PM outlines three priorities for ASEAN’s future

To strengthen resilience, ASEAN should deepen integration, build reliable supply chains, bolster energy security, advance digital connectivity and enhance technological capacity, said Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.