Rebecca PY MALAYSIA, 28 JULY 2026 – Policymakers, industry leaders, academics and civil society representatives convened at Sasana Kijang today for the opening of Sasana Symposium 2026 (SS2026), Bank Negara Malaysia’s (BNM) flagship annual platform for discussing key economic and financial issues.
Running from 28 to 29 July, this year’s symposium carries the theme Reforms for Resilience: Navigating Uncertainties. Across plenary sessions, side chats and podcasts, participants are examining a wide range of topics shaping Malaysia’s economic and financial trajectory, including economic resilience, wages, cost of living pressures, investment flows, energy security, Islamic finance and private healthcare costs.
In his keynote address, BNM Governor Dato’ Sri Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour stressed the importance of sustaining reform momentum to strengthen Malaysia’s resilience amid an increasingly volatile and unpredictable global landscape. He noted that resilience is not about keeping things unchanged, but about continually renewing the country’s capacity to adapt and capture new opportunities as circumstances shift.
The Governor also underscored the need for Malaysia’s financial system to evolve alongside the nation’s broader development. He revealed that BNM’s forthcoming Financial Sector Blueprint 2027–2030 will be anchored on three key aspirations: building a more resilient society through finance, fostering greater prosperity through finance, and future-proofing Malaysia’s financial system.
Among the key announcements at SS2026 was the launch of iTEKAD Employment, the newest addition to BNM’s iTEKAD social finance initiative, joining the existing Entrepreneurship and Protection programmes. The new programme is designed to help individuals from vulnerable communities gain access to stable employment and income.
Through collaboration between financial institutions, funding partners, training providers and corporate partners, participants in iTEKAD Employment will receive skills training, financial education, job placement support and access to suitable financial solutions. The initiative aims to provide a structured pathway into employment, enabling participating Malaysians to build sustainable income, strengthen their financial resilience and improve their overall livelihoods.