Welcome Remarks at the ACMF International Conference

Speaker: Dato’ Mohammad Faiz Azmi, Chair, ASEAN Capital Markets Forum and Chairman, Securities Commission Malaysia

Location: Securities Commission Malaysia, Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur
Delivered: 6 November 2025

Yang Berhormat Senator Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah bin Azizan, Minister of Finance II Malaysia, representing the Prime Minister of Malaysia,
Fellow Chairs of the ASEAN Capital Markets Forum (ACMF),
Excellencies, distinguished guests,
Members of the media,
Ladies and gentlemen,

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh and good morning.

It is my pleasure to welcome the Minister of Finance II, Yang Berhormat Senator Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah, to the ASEAN Capital Markets Forum (ACMF) International Conference 2025. I would like to acknowledge the strong support of the Ministry of Finance in driving deeper regional cooperation and advancing ASEAN’s capital and financial markets.
Home to more than 650 million people , Southeast Asia is one of the most diverse and fastest-growing regions in the world. ASEAN’s combined GDP of US$3.9 trillion spans 11 nations and four time zones, with a rich tapestry of cultures, languages, and governance systems. It is the world’s third most populous region, yet its story is often under-told.
This is why we - many who are here as regulators, policymakers and corporates - must narrate and amplify ASEAN’s economic and financial market story to the world: a unified growth engine and investable asset class built on shared prosperity.
We should not fail to highlight ASEAN’s successes in working together to strengthen transparency and strong governance as well as further facilitate cross-border trade and investments. All these are vital in transforming potential into tangible progress. The ACMF embodies this collaborative spirit.
Under Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship, the ACMF has advanced key initiatives that focus on enhancing sustainability and inclusivity. This reflects the shared commitment of member regulators and key stakeholders to build regional capital markets that enable long-term value creation. In other words, ASEAN as an asset class.
Central to these efforts is ASEAN’s aspirations for sustainable and climate-resilient economies. The latest ASEAN Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance Version 4 includes classification of sustainable and transition activities for additional focus and enabling sectors. The Taxonomy not only enhances transparency and comparability but also makes ASEAN an attractive destination for capital seeking credible ESG-focused investments.
It has been estimated that Southeast Asia requires US$210 billion in funding annually for green and climate-compatible infrastructure. Later today, you will hear from regulators, industry players and experts on what must be done to attract climate-related financing as well as technology investments.
While transition financing is important, funding for mitigation and adaptation projects also deserves equal focus. Floods, droughts, and extreme heat are already testing our water, food, and health systems. The opportunities for innovative market-based financing are significant, but financing gaps persist due to the complexity of projects and perceived unattractive commercial returns.
The ACMF’s mitigation co-benefit and Adaptation for Resilience (mARs) Guide aims to close this gap by directing capital towards climate-resilient infrastructure and industries that might otherwise struggle to attract funding. This is an area where policy support and strong public–private partnerships will be crucial. As I sometimes like to remind people - if we do not make mARs work, we will have to go to Mars!
Carbon markets and the trading of carbon credits are another important enabler for more sustainable economic growth.
For the ACMF, a set of clear and consistent principles to support the generation and trading of high-integrity carbon credits region-wide is required. Through the ACMF Voluntary Carbon Market Development Plan and ASEAN VCM Guidance, we aim to strengthen market integrity, promote cross-border interoperability, and enhance investor confidence in carbon credits.
In April this year, the ASEAN Simplified ESG Disclosure Guide for SMEs in Supply Chains (ASEAN SEDG) was launched by the Malaysian Prime Minister. The aim was to improve ESG transparency and practices of smaller businesses that participate in global supply chains. I am pleased to reaffirm that commitment with the ASEAN SEDG Version 2, which underscores the region’s drive to make sustainability accessible and inclusive across all levels of business.
Together, these initiatives provide the building blocks for a more connected ASEAN capital market eco-system. They also form the basis for the ACMF’s Action Plan for the next five years.
Anchored on five strategic thrusts, the ACMF Action Plan 2026-2030 provides a comprehensive roadmap moving forward for our region’s capital markets. These thrusts encompass sustainability, financial inclusion, regional connectivity, digital transformation and enhancements to ACMF’s institutional structures.
We will be launching the ACMF Action Plan and several other ASEAN and ACMF deliverables for 2025 shortly.
Later this afternoon, we will also celebrate the winners of the ASEAN Investment Challenge and the Coastal Flooding Adaptation and Resilience (COFAR) Challenge - initiatives that embody the spirit of inclusiveness - a key theme of Malaysia’s Chairmanship this year.
Before I close, allow me to acknowledge the tremendous efforts that have gone into making today’s conference a success. I trust the conference will underscore our efforts in developing more dynamic ASEAN capital markets.
On behalf of the ACMF and the Securities Commission Malaysia, I would like to record my sincere appreciation to my fellow ACMF Chairs, the ASEAN Secretariat, sector regulators, industry partners, and the organising team at the SC for their commitment and support, not only for today but throughout Malaysia’s ACMF Chairmanship.
As the Philippines assumes the ACMF Chairmanship next year, I would like to congratulate the new ACMF Chair, Francis Edralin Lim, who is the Chairman and CEO of the Philippines Securities and Exchange Commission, and wish him all the best.
And finally, we would like to again express our sincere appreciation to Yang Berhormat Senator Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah for delivering the keynote and for launching the various deliverables.
Together, let us collaborate, push new boundaries and shape a future where ASEAN capital markets continue to be key drivers of economic growth and guardians of integrity.

Thank you.

Source: ASEAN Statistical Highlights 2025
Source: ASEAN Statistical Highlights 2025
Source: ASEAN Statistical Highlights 2025
Source: Asian Development Bank