BMCC’s Economic Outlook & Post-Budget 2026 at AICB with the Secretary General of Treasury

On 13 November, we hosted our Economic Outlook & Post-Budget 2026 briefing at AICB on 13 November 2025. Held in collaboration with EY, CCI France Malaysia, and FIDE Forum, the event brought senior leaders and industry representatives together for an in-depth look at Malaysia’s fiscal direction for the year ahead.

Our Economic Outlook opened with welcome remarks by Mak Joon Nien, BMCC Chairman and CEO & MD of Standard Chartered Malaysia, who shared insights from his years of experience in the Malaysian banking industry.

Following this was an insightful overview of Budget 2026, presented by Florence Tan, Partner, International Tax and Transaction Services at Ernst & Young Tax Consultants. Her briefing set the stage for a comprehensive understanding of the government’s priorities and the economic landscape.

This was followed by a fireside conversation with YBhg. Datuk Johan Mahmood Merican, Secretary General of Treasury at the Ministry of Finance, Malaysia, moderated by Amarjeet Singh, EY Asean Tax Leader; and Partner of Ernst & Young Tax Consultants. The session offered a deeper look into the government’s fiscal strategy and the policy considerations shaping Budget 2026.

Datuk Johan provided a strategic and candid perspective on how Budget 2026 was designed to deliver on the ambitions of both the Ekonomi MADANI framework and RMK-13, emphasising that the budget is not merely an annual financial plan, but part of a broader long-term national transformation agenda.