Malaysian Businesses Prioritise Sustainable Growth and Domestic Opportunities, ASEAN Survey Finds

Reeracoen Group x Rakuten Insight survey finds Malaysian businesses taking a measured approach to hiring and investment, with the strongest domestic-market focus among six ASEAN markets surveyed

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Malaysian businesses are responding to cost and inflation pressures with operational discipline and a sharpened focus on the domestic market, according to new findings from The Great Restructuring: ASEAN Consumer & Business Pulse Survey 2026.

Published by Reeracoen Group, a leading Asia-based recruitment and HR solutions group, in partnership with Rakuten Insight, an online market research subsidiary of Rakuten Group, Inc., the study finds that 75% of Malaysian businesses identify their home market as their top growth opportunity, the strongest domestic orientation recorded in the survey.

A more focused approach to hiring and investment

Malaysian businesses are concentrating on strengthening existing operations while taking a more selective approach to workforce growth. Selective hiring is the most common hiring stance, cited by 36% of businesses, while 7% are expanding headcount.

Yohei Yagi, Country Manager, Reeracoen Malaysia, said:

"Malaysian employers continue to hire for critical roles, but hiring decisions are becoming more focused and aligned with longer-term business priorities. Companies that strengthen operational efficiency while continuing to invest in the capabilities they need for growth will be better positioned to capture opportunities as conditions evolve."

Investment follows a similar pattern with 16% of Malaysian businesses increasing investment and 46% maintaining current levels as they concentrate resources on operational priorities and sustainable growth.

Domestic market takes centre stage

Malaysia stands apart from its ASEAN peers in where businesses see their next opportunities. Three in four Malaysian businesses (75%) identify the domestic market as their leading growth opportunity—the highest proportion among the six markets surveyed.

This domestic-first approach comes as businesses contend with higher costs and changing economic conditions. The findings show a market placing greater emphasis on strengthening operations, managing resources carefully and building from opportunities closer to home.

Consumers adjust financial priorities

Malaysian consumers are also adjusting their financial priorities in response to current economic conditions. Among Malaysian consumers surveyed, 88% say they are spending more cautiously, with food prices (64%), fuel and transport costs (46%) and household bills (38%) among the pressures shaping spending decisions.

Financial priorities are also shifting as households respond to current conditions. More than half of the respondents (54%) cite seeking additional income sources, while 41% are saving more.

Collin Leow, Country Director, Malaysia & Thailand, Rakuten Insight, said:

"Malaysia's findings show a market adapting pragmatically to changing economic conditions. Businesses are placing greater emphasis on domestic opportunities and operational discipline, while consumers are adjusting their spending and financial priorities. Together, these trends point to a more deliberate approach to growth rather than a retreat from opportunity."

Taken together, the findings point to a measured approach to growth, as businesses focus on domestic opportunities, workforce priorities and operational discipline while consumers adjust to continued cost pressures.

For the full six-market findings, including country-by-country profiles and a Leadership Playbook of eight strategic priorities for regional expansion, download The Great Restructuring: ASEAN Consumer & Business Pulse Survey 2026.

Download the report at:

https://www.reeracoen.com.my/en/events/asean-consumer-business-pulse-survey-2026?utm_source=my_press_release&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=asean_report

About Reeracoen Group

Reeracoen is a leading Asia-based recruitment and HR solutions group, connecting talent with forward-thinking organisations across the region. With 9 offices across 6 major Asian markets, Reeracoen combines deep local market expertise with cross-border recruitment capabilities to support sustainable business growth.

Beyond recruitment, Reeracoen provides market intelligence, workforce insights, salary research, and employer advisory services, helping organisations make informed talent and business decisions in an evolving regional economy.

Reeracoen's commitment to service excellence has been recognised through multiple industry awards, including Best Recruitment & Talent Acquisition Agency (2025, 2026), Client Service Excellence Award (2026), Best International Recruitment & Talent Acquisition Agency (2024), and Best Executive Recruitment Agency (2024).

For more information, visit https://www.reeracoen.com.my/.

About Rakuten Insight, Inc.

Rakuten Insight, Inc. is a wholly-owned online market research subsidiary of Rakuten Group, Inc., a global leader in internet services headquartered in Tokyo.

Established in 1997 as AIP Corporation and integrated into the Rakuten Group in 2014, Rakuten Insight operates a research panel focused on 12 major Asian markets and the United States, with a panel network spanning 60 countries and regions.

With offices in 11 countries and regions, the company provides market research for more than 500 leading companies worldwide. Rakuten Insight Singapore serves as a regional hub providing multi-lingual and multi-functional operational support for clients across Southeast Asia.

For more information, visit https://insight.rakuten.com.

 

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Malaysian Businesses Prioritise Sustainable Growth and Domestic Opportunities, ASEAN Survey Finds

Malaysian Businesses Prioritise Sustainable Growth and Domestic Opportunities, ASEAN Survey Finds

• 104 IPF patients enrolled in US and South Korea as global Phase 2 trial progresses toward completion
• Study includes both antifibrotic-treated and untreated patients; top-line data expected in H1 2027
• First-in-class PRS inhibitor being developed as a potential new therapeutic option for IPF

BARCELONA, Spain and SEOUL, South Korea, Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Daewoong Pharmaceutical (Co-CEOs Seongsoo Park and Changjae Lee) announced that it presented a poster on the baseline characteristics of all 104 patients enrolled in the global Phase 2 clinical trial of its idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) drug candidate 'Bersiporocin (DWN12088)' at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress 2026, held on September 6 (local time) in Barcelona, Spain.

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis is a disease in which various inflammatory and fibrotic signals interact, leading to excessive production and accumulation of collagen. Bersiporocin, being developed by Daewoong Pharmaceutical, selectively inhibits prolyl-tRNA synthetase (PRS), thereby reducing excessive collagen production associated with fibrosis.

Bersiporocin has a differentiated mechanism of action that targets collagen synthesis downstream of multiple profibrotic signals through PRS inhibition. Based on this distinct mechanism, it is being evaluated both in patients receiving background antifibrotic therapy and in those not receiving such treatment.

This presentation analyzed the baseline clinical and functional characteristics of all IPF patients recruited in South Korea and the United States. Following the presentation of interim enrollment data at KATRDIC 2025, Daewoong Pharmaceutical presented baseline data from the fully enrolled study population for the first time at ERS 2026.

The analysis showed that of the total 104 patients, 55 (52.9%) were from South Korea and 49 (47.1%) from the US. A total of 71 patients (68.3%) were receiving background antifibrotic therapy, while 33 patients (31.7%) were not. Mean forced vital capacity (FVC) was approximately 77% predicted, while mean diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (DLCO) was approximately 51% predicted. Overall, baseline clinical and functional characteristics were generally similar between patients with and without background antifibrotic therapy.

The ongoing global Phase 2 study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial taking place in South Korea and the US. Patients receive either Bersiporocin or a placebo twice daily for 24 weeks, with concomitant use of pirfenidone or nintedanib permitted. The study design reflects real-world IPF treatment settings by including patients both with and without background antifibrotic therapy.

This baseline analysis provides important context for interpreting the Phase 2 efficacy and safety results. Daewoong Pharmaceutical plans to announce top-line Phase 2 results in the first half of 2027.

Meanwhile, Bersiporocin has received Orphan Drug Designation and Fast Track status from the US FDA, as well as Orphan Drug Designation from the European Medicines Agency (EMA), driving its global development forward.

Professor Moo Suk Park of the Department of Pulmonology at Severance Hospital, who participated in the study, said, "This study provides a comprehensive overview of the baseline characteristics of 104 IPF patients enrolled in South Korea and the US. As the study includes patients both with and without background antifibrotic therapy, these baseline data will provide important context for interpreting the efficacy and safety outcomes of Bersiporocin."

Seongsoo Park, CEO of Daewoong Pharmaceutical, stated, "Successfully completing enrollment for the global Phase 2 trial and sharing the full baseline patient profile at ERS 2026 marks a significant milestone in Bersiporocin's development. We will continue to advance the program toward top-line Phase 2 results in H1 2027 and use these findings to inform subsequent global development."

[Reference]

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XSXImvc5mcgdoSozP_B4BnDlsTW7Pfz_/view 
Link to the poster: 'Baseline Clinical and Functional Spectrum of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Patients in a Fully Enrolled Global Phase 2 Trial of the PRS Inhibitor Bersiporocin'

 

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Daewoong Pharmaceutical Presents Baseline Characteristics of 104 Patients in Global Phase 2 Trial for IPF Drug Candidate 'Bersiporocin' at ERS 2026