Forum 2026
4 Chief Ministers, 12 Panelists and Tun Dr Mahathir at SG4 Business & Economic Forum 2026
Published
The SG4 Business & Economic Forum 2026 brings together state leadership, economists, bankers and industry figures to discuss the economic direction of Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu and Perlis.
Based on the official programme, the forum features the four Chief Ministers of the SG4 states, a Special Address by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, and 12 panelists across four core sessions covering economic resilience, sustainable financing, semiconductors and SME competitiveness.
The official SG4 Business & Economic Forum programme also includes keynote addresses, moderators and a separate sharing session with representatives from the four state investment agencies.
Who Are the Main Speakers at SG4 Business & Economic Forum 2026?
The speaker line-up combines political leadership with business, finance and economic expertise.
The event is not built around one category of speaker. Instead, it brings together:
- Chief Ministers;
- former national leadership;
- economists;
- bankers;
- industry executives;
- SME representatives;
- state investment agencies.
This mix gives the forum a broader perspective on how policy, financing and industry interact within the SG4 economy.
The Four Chief Ministers of SG4
All four SG4 Chief Ministers appear in the official programme.
1. YAB Dato' Seri Ir. Dr. Ahmad Samsuri bin Mokhtar
The Chief Minister of Terengganu is scheduled to deliver the opening address titled Managing Economic Development In a World Full of Uncertainties: Are We Ready?
His session sets the tone for the forum by focusing on how governments and businesses respond to economic uncertainty.
2. YAB Dato' Panglima Perang Ustaz Dato' Haji Mohd Nassuruddin bin Haji Daud
The Chief Minister of Kelantan is scheduled to deliver a keynote on Critical Minerals: Positioning Malaysia in The Strategic Global Supply.
The address brings strategic mineral resources and global supply-chain positioning into the wider SG4 economic discussion.
3. YAB Dato' Seri Haji Muhammad Sanusi bin Md Nor
The Chief Minister of Kedah is scheduled to present The Greater Kedah: Rising as Malaysia's New Economic Powerhouse.
The session focuses on Kedah's future economic positioning, including its industrial and regional growth potential.
4. YAB Tuan Abu Bakar bin Hamzah
The Chief Minister of Perlis is scheduled to deliver SG4 Perlis: Small State, Bold Vision, Boundless Opportunities.
The address highlights Perlis' economic potential despite its smaller size, including logistics, border trade and regional connectivity.
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad: Special Address
Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is scheduled to deliver a Special Address during the forum.
His inclusion adds a national-level perspective to a programme otherwise strongly focused on state development and sector-specific economic issues.
The official programme lists him separately from the four Chief Ministers and the core-session panelists, which is why he is highlighted as a distinct speaker category.
12 Panelists Across Four Core Sessions
The figure 12 panelists refers specifically to the four core sessions, each featuring three panelists.
Moderators are not included in this count.
Core Session 1: A World Full of Uncertainties: Are There Still Hopes?
This session focuses on macroeconomic uncertainty, resilience and competitiveness.
- Dr. Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid — Chief Economist, Bank Muamalat Malaysia Berhad. He brings expertise in macroeconomics, markets and financial conditions.
- Prof. Tan Sri Dato' Seri Dr. Noor Azlan bin Ghazali — Director, Malaysian Inclusive Development and Advancement Institute (MINDA), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. His perspective centres on development policy, productivity and economic transformation.
- Dr. Muhammed Abdul Khalid — Adjunct Professor, Ungku Aziz Centre, Universiti Malaya. His work focuses on economics, inequality, development and public policy.
Together, the panel provides a broad view of how businesses and governments can interpret global and domestic economic risks.
Core Session 2: Managing & Offering Sustainable Financing in a Time of Chaos
The second session focuses on financing, resilience and access to capital.
- Prof. Dr. Baharom Abdul Hamid — INCEIF University. He brings an academic and policy perspective on finance and Islamic economics.
- Mrs. Dafinah Ahmed Hilmi — Hong Leong Islamic Bank Berhad. Her participation provides a banking and sustainable-finance perspective.
- Mr. Rosli Jusoh — Agrobank. His role brings attention to development finance, agriculture and access to capital for businesses.
This session is particularly relevant to companies looking at financing structures for expansion, sustainability or new investment.
Core Session 3: Economic Opportunities In The Ecosystem of Semiconductor Industry
The third core session focuses on one of Malaysia's most important industrial sectors.
- Tan Sri Dato' Sri Haji Syed Zainal Abidin bin Syed Mohamed Tahir — Chairman, Dagang NeXchange Berhad. He brings corporate and industrial experience across technology and infrastructure-related sectors.
- Dr. David Lacey — Head of External Affairs, ams OSRAM Group. His participation brings a global semiconductor and advanced technology perspective.
- Dato' Chong Nee Hwa — Executive Director, Fuji Electric (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd. He contributes experience from the manufacturing and industrial technology ecosystem.
This session is especially relevant to Kedah's semiconductor and electronics base, particularly around Kulim.
Core Session 4: SMEs Survival Between Managing Challenges and Securing Opportunities
The fourth session focuses on the pressures and opportunities facing small and medium enterprises.
- Mr. Mohd Dzahir Jamudin — Dewan Perniagaan Melayu Malaysia (DPMM). His role represents the business community and SME perspective.
- Dr. Ts. Haji Muhtar bin Suhaili — Group Chief Executive Officer, Eastern Pacific Industrial Corporation Berhad (EPIC). He brings experience from the energy and industrial services ecosystem.
- Mr. Lee Heng Guie — Socio-Economic Research Centre. His participation provides a broader economic and business-policy perspective.
The session addresses business resilience, transformation, manufacturing opportunities and access to international markets.
What About the Moderators?
Moderators are part of the official programme but are separate from the 12 panelists.
Their role is to guide the discussion rather than serve as the main panelist line-up highlighted in this article.
This distinction is important because the official forum website may refer to a larger overall speaker count, while 12 panelists specifically refers to the four core sessions.
Are There Other Speakers Beyond the 12 Panelists?
Yes.
The wider forum includes more than the 12 core-session panelists.
For example, the Economic Opportunities in SG4 sharing session features representatives from:
- Invest Kedah;
- Invest Terengganu;
- Invest Kelantan;
- Perbadanan Kemajuan Ekonomi Negeri Perlis.
These speakers are separate from the 12 panelists counted across the four core sessions.
The official speakers page presents a broader overall line-up, while the programme provides the clearest breakdown by role and session.
Why Does This Speaker Line-Up Matter?
The strength of the forum is not simply the number of speakers.
The value comes from the range of perspectives represented in one programme.
1. State Leadership
The four Chief Ministers provide direct insight into the priorities of the four SG4 states: Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu and Perlis.
2. Economics
Economists provide a wider view of growth, resilience and global risk.
3. Finance
Banks and financial institutions bring practical perspectives on access to capital and sustainable financing.
4. Industry
Semiconductor and industrial leaders provide insight into real operating environments and supply-chain opportunities across SG4's economic sectors.
5. SMEs
Business representatives bring attention to the challenges faced by smaller companies trying to grow, transform and enter new markets.
This makes the forum relevant to participants who want to understand both policy direction and commercial realities.
Why Is the Speaker Mix Important for Investors?
Investors usually need more than one type of information.
They need to understand:
- government priorities;
- market conditions;
- financing;
- industry readiness;
- infrastructure;
- talent;
- supply chains;
- execution risk.
The SG4 forum brings many of these perspectives into the same event.
That allows participants to compare what state leaders are saying with the views of economists, financiers and industry operators when weighing investment opportunities.
Conclusion
The speaker line-up at SG4 Business & Economic Forum 2026 reflects the forum's wider objective: to bring together leadership, economic expertise and industry experience in one platform.
The four Chief Ministers provide state-level direction, Tun Dr Mahathir adds a national perspective, while the 12 core-session panelists bring specialist knowledge from economics, finance, semiconductors and SME development.
For attendees, the value lies not only in hearing individual speakers, but in understanding how these different perspectives connect across the wider SG4 economy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the speakers at SG4 Business & Economic Forum 2026?
The forum includes the four SG4 Chief Ministers, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, economists, bankers, industry leaders, SME representatives and state investment agencies.
Why does the article mention 12 panelists?
The figure refers specifically to the 12 panelists across the four core sessions, with three panelists in each session. Moderators and other speakers are counted separately.
Are all four SG4 Chief Ministers speaking?
Yes. The official programme includes the Chief Ministers of Terengganu, Kelantan, Kedah and Perlis.
Is Tun Dr Mahathir speaking at the forum?
Yes. Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is scheduled to deliver a Special Address.
Are there speakers beyond the 12 panelists?
Yes. The programme also includes moderators, keynote speakers and a separate sharing session featuring representatives from the four SG4 state investment agencies.