KWAP chief investment officer Hazman Hilmi Sallahuddin said there would naturally be some adjustments in view of the tariff but reminded that the fund had a long-term view.

During a panel discussion at the Asean Investment Conference 2025, Hazman said that with every crisis comes opportunities, and that the current market situation actually presented KWAP with a valuable opportunity to acquire assets at lower costs.

He expects significant gains to be made once the stock market stabilises, adding that there is no need to panic or overreact at this juncture.

“I think we need to remind ourselves that we are long-term investors. Our horizon is five to 10, 15, 20 years. There will be some adjustments but I think adaptability is one of our key strengths, and we will have to adapt.

“The pensions are safe and KWAP is taking this as an opportunity to buy cheap,” he told FMT on the sidelines of the conference.

This comes as Asean finance ministers meet in Kuala Lumpur to coordinate the regional bloc’s response to US president Donald Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs.

The panel discussion on “Driving Sectoral Growth – Real Stories of Impact and Inclusion under the New Industrial Master Plan (NIMP)”, also featured senior leaders from Khazanah Nasional Bhd and Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB).

These bodies make the strategic investments that form the backbone of Malaysia’s economic transformation across key sectors, fostering industrial development, job creation, and community empowerment.

Khazanah chief investment officer Hisham Hamdan said the global debt system remains stable despite the impact of Trump’s tariffs.

He said the stability of American consumption patterns is expected to continue despite Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, even as US and China’s economic dynamics steer the world economy.

Hisham said this underscored the importance of exercising strategic patience in making investments amid these uncertain economic times.