Dr Kenji Kong Weng Keat, Chair of the Malaysia Australia Business Council’s (MABC) Johor Chapter had conducted a review of the 2025 Australian Business in Southeast Asia Survey and states that the Australian Business in Southeast Asia Survey 2025 shows that 70% of Southeast Asian respondents increasingly consider Asean economic integration as critical to their companies in the region.
The survey, conducted by AustCham in partnership with RMIT University and supported by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, also revealed that over 30% of participants anticipate a significant increase of greater than 10% per annum in revenue from Asean over the next five years.
He adds that the results show a positive overall presence and interest, with 41% of respondents saying their companies are active in Malaysia, and 32% cite Malaysia as one of the priority markets in which they intend to grow.
“Between 2023 and 2024, Malaysia was Australia’s second-largest trading partner in the Asean region, with total bilateral trade estimated at approximately AUD33 billion,” Kong says.
Kong meanwhile offers that the most critical constraints reported across Southeast Asia are access to skilled labour, prevalence of bureaucracy, poor governance and corruption, among others.
“The survey indicates that trade growth potential is largely attributable to increased regional Asean market integration, market-oriented policies that are more equitable, better governance, improved infrastructure and an adequately trained workforce.
“For Johor, this means a focus on more speed and transparency in regulatory processes, responsive digital and energy infrastructure, streamlined freight and last-mile logistics, and thoughtful arrangements on cross-border mobility of skilled talent to ensure that businesses are able to hire and position staff with ease,” he adds.
The 2026 Australian Business in Southeast Asia Survey is well underway and is an important regional research initiative. Now in its tenth year, the survey remains the most comprehensive annual assessment of Australian business sentiment across ASEAN. The results are used directly by Australian government agencies, trade commissioners, and policymakers to understand the priorities and challenges facing Australian businesses operating in the region.
Dr Kenji Kong Weng Keat, Chair of the Malaysia Australia Business Council’s (MABC) Johor Chapter, expressed optimism following the release of the Australian Business in Southeast Asia Survey 2025, which highlighted growing confidence in ASEAN’s economic prospects among Australian businesses operating in the region.
The survey, conducted by AustCham ASEAN in partnership with RMIT University and supported by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), found that 70% of respondents view ASEAN economic integration as increasingly critical to their regional business strategy. More than 30% of participating companies also anticipate annual revenue growth from ASEAN of over 10% during the next five years.
Dr Kong noted that Malaysia continues to feature strongly in the outlook of Australian businesses, with 41% of respondents already active in Malaysia and 32% identifying Malaysia as a priority growth market.
“Between 2023 and 2024, Malaysia was Australia’s second-largest trading partner within ASEAN, with bilateral trade estimated at approximately AUD33 billion,” said Dr Kong.
He also highlighted several key challenges identified by businesses across Southeast Asia, including access to skilled labour, bureaucracy, governance issues and corruption.
“Despite these constraints, the survey demonstrates strong trade and investment potential driven by deeper ASEAN market integration, more market-oriented policies, improved governance, stronger infrastructure and a skilled workforce,” he said.
“For Johor specifically, this underscores the importance of faster and more transparent regulatory processes, responsive digital and energy infrastructure, streamlined freight and logistics systems, as well as practical cross-border mobility arrangements for skilled talent to support business growth and investment.”
The Australian Business in ASEAN Survey 2026