**ASTANA, Kazakhstan, March 8.** Kazakhstan views Malaysia as a "strategic bridge" to Southeast Asia and is keen on strengthening cooperation both at the federal and regional levels, said Kazakhstan's Ambassador to Malaysia, Bolat Sugurbayev, at a business forum in Malaysia, [Trend](http://en.trend.az) reports.
A business forum titled "Kazakhstan: Heart of Eurasia" was held in the capital of Malaysia's Penang state. The event was organized by the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Penang, with support from the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Malaysia.
The forum was attended by representatives from the state government, businesses, higher education institutions, and the media. From the Kazakh side, presentations on investment and tourism climates were delivered by representatives of JSC "NC "Kazakh Invest", JSC "NC "Kazakh Tourism", and "Almaty Development Company" under the Akimat of Almaty.
"Penang is a leading economic center in Malaysia with a developed electronics industry, logistics, creative economy, and tourism. Kazakhstan, in turn, has successful experience in the digitalization of the economy and fintech. Combined with direct flights and a visa-free regime between our countries, this creates excellent conditions for business partnerships," he emphasized.
The Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy of Penang, Wong Hon Wei, highlighted the state's interest in developing comprehensive cooperation with Kazakhstan and expressed confidence that Penang has great potential for cooperation with Kazakhstan in IT, fintech, and "smart city" development. He also noted the interest of Malaysian industrial enterprises, particularly in the metallurgy and steel sectors, in expanding cooperation with Kazakhstan.
Honorary Consul of Kazakhstan in Penang, Luis Ng, emphasized the active growth of Kazakhstan's economy, which provides new opportunities for expanding Malaysian businesses both within the country and for further entry into the Central Asian markets.
Anes Zadabek, Deputy Chairman of the Board of "Almaty Development Company," presented the investment and tourism potential of Almaty, whose economy generates about 20 percent of Kazakhstan's GDP.
Foreign representative of JSC "NC "Kazakh Invest" Diana Ablyakimova focused on the vast base of mineral resources and critical minerals necessary for the development of the electronics industry. She noted that, due to transparent conditions that include best international practices, Malaysian companies have the opportunity to invest in Kazakhstan's economy.
Following the presentations, a lively discussion took place regarding the prospects of the Kazakh market, considering its geostrategic position and resource base, as well as measures taken by the Kazakh government to continually improve the business climate. A significant portion of forum participants expressed their intention to visit Kazakhstan, and the Honorary Consulate is working on forming a business delegation.
Kazakhstan and Malaysia are members of the UN and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on March 16, 1992.