Strategic showcase in Kuala Lumpur highlights Sri Lanka’s potential as a regional investment hub
By: Staff Writer
July 22, Colombo (LNW): In a renewed push to attract foreign direct investment (FDI), Port City Colombo joined hands with the Sri Lankan High Commission in Kuala Lumpur to promote Sri Lanka as a promising business destination for Southeast Asian investors. As a Strategic Partner of the Sri Lanka Investor Trade & Tourism Forum 2025 held on July 11 at the Royal Selangor Club in Malaysia, Port City Colombo took centre stage, unveiling its investment potential and role in Sri Lanka’s economic resurgence.
Organised collaboratively by the High Commission and CHEC Port City Colombo Ltd., the forum was a platform to present the island nation’s revitalised investment climate and future growth prospects, with particular focus on the emerging financial and business district being developed off the coast of Colombo.
Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, was the Chief Guest, underscoring the government’s commitment to fostering international investment ties. Also present were Malaysian Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry (MITI) Liew Chin Tong, Acting High Commissioner M.I. Mohamed Rizvi, and other key Malaysian dignitaries and business leaders, including members of the Selangor Royal Family.
The event attracted a diverse group of stakeholders, including Malaysian entrepreneurs, real estate developers, and representatives from top industry associations such as the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry Malaysia (NCCIM), Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM), and Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE). Chambers representing Malay, Chinese, and Indian communities, along with bilateral councils like the Malaysia-Sri Lanka Business Council (MSBLC), were also in attendance.
The highlight of the forum was an exclusive investment presentation by the Port City Colombo team, who showcased the project’s vision, the benefits of its Special Economic Zone status, and its role in boosting Sri Lanka’s modern service export sector. Emphasis was placed on the project’s strategic location in South Asia and the legal and fiscal incentives tailored for international investors.
A live Q&A session allowed participants to engage directly with Port City officials, discussing investment procedures, regulatory frameworks, and avenues for bilateral economic cooperation between Sri Lanka and Malaysia.
Acting High Commissioner Rizvi remarked that the forum aimed to reassure Malaysian investors of Sri Lanka’s evolving economic stability, growing market confidence, and the pro-investor stance of its current administration.
This initiative marks another strategic step by Port City Colombo and the Sri Lankan government to position the island as a gateway for regional commerce and a magnet for global capital.
