The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI; Malay: Kementerian Pelaburan, Perdagangan dan Industri) is the Malaysian federal ministry responsible for investment, international trade and industrial policy. It was renamed from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry in April 2023 but kept the same MITI acronym. MITI sets policy and negotiates trade agreements, while agencies such as MIDA and MATRADE carry out the front-line work. Its headquarters is Menara MITI in Kuala Lumpur.
- MITI was renamed from the 'Ministry of International Trade and Industry' to the 'Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry' in April 2023, keeping the MITI acronym even though 'International' became 'Investment'.
- The ministry traces to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (April 1956); it split from the domestic-trade ministry (KPDN) on 27 October 1990.
- Its remit spans international trade, industry, investment, productivity, SMEs, development finance, halal, automotive, steel and strategic trade.
- MITI is a policy body; agencies under it include MIDA, MATRADE, MPC, MIDF, SIRIM, EXIM Bank, Standards Malaysia, MARii, MSI, HDC and NAICO.
- As of the December 2025 Cabinet reshuffle, the Minister is Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani and the Deputy Minister is Sim Tze Tzin.
- MITI received RM1.898 billion under Budget 2026 to lead delivery of the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030).
Who this applies to: Investors, exporters, manufacturers, students and everyday Malaysians who need to understand which federal body sets trade and industrial policy and how MITI differs from its agencies and from KPDN.
On this page
Look closely at the four letters and you will spot the trick: MITI used to stand for the Ministry of International Trade and Industry. Since April 2023 it has stood for the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (Malay: Kementerian Pelaburan, Perdagangan dan Industri) — same acronym, one changed word, a slightly changed mandate. This is Malaysia’s federal ministry for investment, international trade and industrial policy, and this page explains what it does, who runs it, and how it differs from its own agencies.
What does MITI actually do?
MITI is a policy ministry, not a service counter. Its responsibilities span international trade, industry, investment, productivity, small and medium enterprises, development finance, the halal industry, automotive, steel and strategic trade. In practice that means MITI writes the rules and strategy for how Malaysia trades and industrialises, while the operational work — approving investments, promoting exports — sits with its agencies.
The ministry’s stated vision is “Malaysia as the preferred investment destination, sustainable industrial and competitive trading nation.” Its corporate philosophy runs through five values: Nation Before Self, Service With Dedication, Excellence In Endeavour, Success Through Team Work, and One Ministry One Aspiration.
Why did the name change but the acronym stay?
For decades the ministry was the Ministry of International Trade and Industry. In April 2023 it was renamed the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry, foregrounding investment as a priority. Because both the old and new names shorten to MITI, the familiar acronym was retained — which is exactly why so many people miss that anything changed.
The lineage runs deeper than that:
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| April 1956 | Established as the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. |
| February 1972 | Renamed the Ministry of Trade and Industry. |
| 27 October 1990 | Split into two: MITI (international trade and industry) and KPDN (domestic trade and consumer affairs). |
| April 2023 | Renamed the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry, keeping the MITI acronym. |
That 1990 split is why MITI and KPDN are separate ministries today: MITI handles international trade and industrial policy, while KPDN handles domestic trade and consumer affairs.
What agencies sit under MITI?
MITI oversees a family of statutory bodies and government-linked companies that do the front-line work. Investors and exporters generally deal with these agencies rather than the ministry directly:
| Agency | Focus |
|---|---|
| MIDA — Malaysian Investment Development Authority | Investment promotion and evaluation |
| MATRADE — Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation | Export promotion |
| MPC — Malaysia Productivity Corporation | Productivity and competitiveness |
| MIDF & EXIM Bank | Industrial and trade financing |
| SIRIM Berhad & Standards Malaysia (JSM) | Standards, quality and certification |
| MARii, MSI, HDC, MRM, NAICO | Automotive, steel, halal and other sector bodies |
Who runs MITI, and where is it based?
As of the December 2025 Cabinet reshuffle, MITI is led by Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani as Minister, with Sim Tze Tzin as Deputy Minister. The ministry’s headquarters is Menara MITI, No. 7, Jalan Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, and its official website is miti.gov.my.
On the money side, MITI received an allocation of RM1.898 billion under Budget 2026 to lead delivery of the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030), the industrial blueprint guiding Malaysia’s manufacturing and industrial direction.
What’s next
If you are pursuing a specific investment or export activity, the practical next step is the relevant agency rather than the ministry itself — MIDA for investment, MATRADE for exports. To understand where MITI fits among Malaysia’s economic ministries, compare it with KPDN, the domestic-trade ministry it split from in 1990.
What is the difference between MITI and its agencies like MIDA and MATRADE?
MITI is the policy ministry — it sets strategy and negotiates trade agreements. MIDA (the Malaysian Investment Development Authority) and MATRADE (the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation) are agencies that operate under MITI to promote investment and exports respectively.
Why does MITI keep the same acronym after being renamed?
In April 2023 the ministry changed from 'International Trade and Industry' to 'Investment, Trade and Industry' to foreground investment. Because both names abbreviate to MITI, the acronym was retained, which is why the rename is easy to miss.
The following are deliberately unstated or described only qualitatively until confirmed by a subject-matter expert:
- Exact effective/gazette date of the 2023 rename — the Cabinet decision was reported as 5 April 2023 while some sources cite 12 April 2023 as effective; the precise gazette date was not confirmed against a primary instrument.
- Exact appointment/gazette dates for the current Minister (Johari Abdul Ghani) and Deputy Minister (Sim Tze Tzin) from the December 2025 reshuffle.
- The definitive current count and full official list of agencies under MITI — sources vary between roughly 8 and 14 entities and some shift over time.
- NIMP 2030 official launch date and headline targets.
- Current employee/staff headcount (the dated 2017 figure of 959 was not used).
- Everyday public touchpoints often attributed to MITI (Certificate of Origin endorsement, Approved Permit applications) were not confirmed against a primary source in the pack and are therefore omitted from the body.
Sources
- Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (Malaysia) — Wikipedia
- MITI — History and Background — Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI)
- MITI — Vision, Mission, Corporate Philosophy, Objectives and Functions — Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI)
- Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry — official homepage — Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI)
Change history
| Version | Date | Change | By |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01.00 | 14 Aug 2026 | Approved and published. | — |