KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 14): Asean must reduce barriers between member markets to help young entrepreneurs expand their businesses across the region, said Raja Muda of Selangor Tengku Amir Shah Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.
Speaking at the Selangor Asean Business Conference, held as part of the Selangor International Business Summit (SIBS) 2026 on Wednesday, he said businesses still faced challenges expanding across Asean despite the region's integration efforts.
"The real test of Asean integration is not how often we speak of a single market, but whether a founder in one Asean country can genuinely build for 11 others," he said.
Tengku Amir Shah said closer regional cooperation was essential as countries competed for investment, technology and talent.
He said young entrepreneurs should be able to see cities such as Jakarta, Bangkok, Manila and Ho Chi Minh City as natural markets for expansion.
Tengku Amir Shah also stressed that Asean's young population would not automatically drive economic growth without proper skills, training and access to markets.
"Asean's youth is often described as one of our greatest advantages, but youth, by itself, is not an economic strategy," he said.
Tengku Amir Shah said Selangor had reached more than 90,000 entrepreneurs across its 12 local authorities this year through initiatives to improve business access.
He said some approval processes that once took months could now be completed within 48 hours.
The state is also launching its Triple Accelerator Programme to support entrepreneurs in technology, retail innovation and digital assets.
He said Selangor aimed to support businesses of all sizes, from small home-based businesses to startups developing new technologies.
"The same state that helps a home baker gain access to financing can also stand behind a founder building for the next decade," he said.