Kg. Bharu to House Some of The World’s Most Profitable Companies…

As of today, of the 30 most profitable companies, 12 are from the technology and 11 are from the financial sector. Sixteen are based in the US and seven in China.

Four of the top five are US West Coast-headquartered technology firms. Google parent company, Alphabet is the most profitable with earnings in 2026 at US$160 Billion followed by NVIDIA, Microsoft and Apple.

It is the combination of innovation and capital. Start-ups could easily access financing, aiding them to leapfrog external competition.

Globally, technology and financial sectors are the most profitable because they rely on near-zero marginal costs, extreme scalability and control over global economic infrastructure.

Software, cloud infrastructure and digital platforms are replicated and sold globally at almost no additional manufacturing or distribution costs. They create closed ecosystems and platforms where users and developers stay locked-in, granting enormous pricing power. Not needing heavy physical inventory or vast supply chains, it yields exceptionally high net profit margins.

Operating across borders with immense asset pools, using advanced automation and fintech infrastructure, financial institutions sit at the centre of all global capital movement. Earning fees, interest spreads and transaction cuts from virtually every commercial activity despite fluctuating economic cycles.

High margins mean a company can fund rapid growth with internal cash flow which is far more flexible and cheaper than venture capital or bank loans.

Opportunity

Recently, the deputy finance minister said Malaysia must transform from a trading nation into a technology nation by strengthening the semiconductor ecosystem. Malaysia holds a strategic “indispensable middle” position in the global tech and tax landscape, especially as geopolitical tensions increasingly divide the world. He added, we can also leverage our Islamic finance infrastructure and private capital networks to drive regional deals and investments.

He identified urban revitalisation as a key investment opportunity, rebuilding inner cities and creating mixed-use urban spaces.

In answering the call by the deputy finance minister, I would suggest that we follow his advice on the two sectors, technology and finance. To complete the equation on urban revitalisation and rebuilding inner cities, let’s push for it at Kg. Bharu

When KL was booming because of tin mining, rubber and construction, the British segregated the Chinese who worked in mines to Chinatown, Indians who worked in estates to Brickfields and Malays, to grow food, in Kg. Bharu.

This 127-year-old settlement, covering 300.73 acres (including non-Malay Agricultural Settlement (MAS)) of prime real estate, sits directly in the shadow of the Petronas Twin Towers. It is well-equipped with LRT/MRT stations, a historic club, hospital and clinics, school, a mosque, shop lots and well-paved roads.

State-led grand designs have been unsuccessful, making it a legendary case study of an inner city waiting to be developed.

Legal and Policy Reforms

Issues such as the MAS legal protection, fragmented ownership and compensation standoff can be ironed out if there are serious, non-conflicted discussions among stakeholders.

The Sultan of Selangor wants Kg Bharu to be developed. Surely, His Highness can agree to some leeway to make things happen. The Attorney-General’s office can assist with some modifications to land ownership such as joint-ventures or corporate leases. As for inheritance disputes, review and simplify the processes that currently take years and very costly to settle. More importantly, landowners must be realistic on the compensation issue.

Let us plan for a technology and financial hub at Kg Bharu. It should not only be guided by principles that preserve Malay ownership and heritage but also Islamic culture and heritage. It plays a vital role in the continuity and dignity of the Malays and Islam not only in Kuala Lumpur but the whole region. Middle-eastern companies may well be attracted to this initiative due to geopolitical tensions.

Reducing government’s burden

I do believe waqf (endowment of cash, land or property) can definitely play a role here and transform into a powerhouse of sustainable, impact-driven global finance for the future. Historically, waqf is the backbone of public infrastructure, funding hospitals, universities and other societal needs across the Muslim world without costing taxpayer a single sen – reducing government’s burden. Today, waqf controls massive but chronically underutilised wealth – less than 2% of Malaysia’s 13,500 hectares of waqf land has been productively developed.

Incentives

If the government can allow Forest City to offer aggressive tax breaks and financial incentives through its Special Financial Zone to attract global investors, surely it can offer the same to Kg Bharu which is next to the iconic Twin Towers.

Kg Bharu also offers authentic tourism.

What is at stake?

A recent article by Bain & Co. stated that AI will shift US$4.7 trillion in profits between 2025 and 2035 – more than triple the Internet’s impact in half the time. About 75% of the opportunity lies in innovation and competitive shifts.

There must be conviction to move early and fast. Technology doesn’t wait and the gap compounds exponentially. Let us learn and improve from mistakes of others through effective interactions.

Collaboration and Integration

It is a “mission impossible” to answer the call by the deputy finance minister if only one or two parties make the move. It is a task for all stakeholders to be committed and build an inner city that can house the world’s most profitable companies and be a model of an inner city of the future.

Will we be part of the US$4.7 trillion shift or wonder what happened?

What say you…

 

Saleh Mohammed