Mohd Husni(centre)Mizool Amir (three from left),Rithuan (four from left) and Geoffrey (four from right)
LABUAN: The Labuan Industry Convergence Workshop 2026, held at the EUREKA Room, Universiti Malaysia Sabah Labuan International Campus (UMSKAL), successfully brought together policymakers, regulators, industry leaders, and key stakeholders in a strategic initiative aimed at translating Labuan’s economic potential into coordinated and actionable outcomes.
Organised by the Labuan Faculty of International Finance (FKAL), with strong support from Perbadanan Labuan and the Labuan Chamber of Commerce, the workshop signified a decisive shift from conventional dialogue-based engagements to a structured, solution-oriented platform grounded in evidence and industry realities.
In his remarks, Associate Professor Dr Geoffrey Harvey Tanakinjal, Dean of FKAL, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, emphasised that WP Labuan possesses a unique combination of strategic advantages, including its status as a duty-free island, regional oil and gas hub, federal port with transhipment and STS capabilities, an international offshore financial centre, and Federal Territory.
He highlighted the island’s strong potential within the Blue Economy framework, particularly in leveraging marine resources of the South China Sea, while stressing that stronger policy alignment, coordination, and execution are critical to fully unlock Labuan’s economic potential.
The workshop featured a keynote sharing by Dato’ Mohd Husni bin Mohamad Salleh, Chairman of Perbadanan Labuan, who outlined Labuan’s forward-looking strategic direction. He emphasised the importance of strengthening institutional coordination, enhancing infrastructure readiness, and accelerating policy implementation to ensure Labuan remains competitive as a regional financial, logistics, and oil and gas hub.
He further highlighted that building Labuan’s financial capabilities must be complemented by strengthening basic economic necessities and enabling infrastructure, ensuring that growth is both inclusive and sustainable.
He also expressed hope that participants would contribute bold and forward-looking ideas during the Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), which are critical in shaping practical and high-impact solutions for Labuan’s future development.
A key highlight of the morning session was the Expert Panel Discussion on Innovative Business Strategies, moderated by Associate Professor Dr Geoffrey Harvey Tanakinjal.
The distinguished panel comprised Dato’ Mohd Husni Mohamad Salleh (Chairman, Labuan Corporation), Affendi Rashdi (Director General, Labuan Financial Services Authority), Mizool Amir Mat Drus (Labuan Port Authority)
and Haji Rithuan Ismail (Chief Executive Officer, Labuan Corporation).
The panel session provided valuable perspectives on strengthening Labuan’s economic positioning through policy coherence, regulatory efficiency, port development, and institutional coordination.
Affendi Rashdi highlighted that “talent development remains a critical priority in strengthening Labuan’
Rashdi highlighted that “talent development remains a critical priority in strengthening Labuan’s financial ecosystem. By leveraging Labuan’s unique financial advantages and regulatory positioning, we can attract high-value investments, nurture skilled professionals, and create more employment opportunities that will sustain long-term economic growth.”
Mizool Amir Mat Drus emphasised that “port capacity, operational efficiency, and maritime integration are critical enablers for Labuan’s transformation into a regional logistics and transhipment hub.”
Haji Rithuan Ismail stressed that “effective execution and coordination across agencies will determine how quickly Labuan’s strategic plans translate into measurable economic impact.”
Dato’ Mohd Husni bin Mohamad Salleh further emphasised that “strong coordination between policymakers and industry stakeholders is key to ensuring that Labuan’s strategic advantages translate into tangible economic outcomes.”
In this afternoon, participants took part in Industry Breakout Sessions (Focus Group Discussions) across key sectors including oil and gas, marine and logistics, financial services, SMEs, tourism, and professional services. These sessions focused on identifying real operational bottlenecks, analysing root causes, and formulating practical and implementable solutions, followed by cross-sector validation and presentations to relevant authorities.
According to Daniel Doughty, President of the Labuan Chamber of Commerce, the initiative reflects a progressive governance approach where academia plays a neutral and strategic role. “This platform is not about discussion alone—it is about delivering solutions. Labuan’s strengths are clear; what is required now is alignment, coordination, and execution,” he said.
Adding to this, Datuk Dahlif Singh @ Dara Singh, President of the Indian Chamber of Commerce, emphasised the importance of inclusivity in Labuan’s economic transformation. “A holistic development approach must include diverse business communities and strengthen cross-sector participation. The private sector stands ready to collaborate, but clear direction, facilitation, and consistent engagement are critical to unlocking real economic value,” he remarked.
The Labuan Industry Convergence Workshop is expected to significantly enhance cross-sector collaboration, improve regulatory efficiency, and position Labuan as a more integrated and competitive economic hub within Malaysia and the wider BIMP-EAGA region. If successful, the initiative may evolve into a permanent Industry Convergence Mechanism, supporting long-term national economic priorities and sustainable regional development.
The event concluded with a strong collective commitment from all stakeholders to advance a unified and actionable roadmap for Labuan’s economic future.
