Nga Invites Michelle Yeoh To Join VMY 2026 Launch

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 (Bernama) -- Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming has invited Malaysia’s first Oscar-winning actress Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh to be part of the Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) 2026 campaign launch next January.

According to a statement from the Housing and Local Government Ministry, Nga extended the invitation during a meeting with Yeoh and her husband Jean Todt, who is the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, on the sidelines of his official visit to Turkiye for the Global Zero Waste Forum.

"During the meeting, Nga invited Yeoh to join Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim next January for the lighting ceremony of Bukit Bintang’s Walk of Fame, which will mark the launch of the Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) 2026 campaign," said the ministry. 

According to the statement, Nga highlighted that under the MADANI Government’s values of inclusivity and diversity, Malaysia has become one of Asia’s most sought-after travel destinations this year.

“By the end of 2025, tourist arrivals are expected to exceed 40 million, an increase of 18.4 per cent, surpassing Malaysia’s total population for the first time,” he said.

Nga added that the tourism sector now contributes 15.2 per cent to Malaysia’s gross domestic product (GDP), making it the second-largest source of national income.

He said that to achieve the RM150 billion revenue target for VMY 2026, every Malaysian should play a role as a tourism ambassador to help the world discover ‘Malaysia Truly Asia’.

The meeting with Yeoh and Todt also touched on efforts to strengthen road safety initiatives through improved urban planning and building design, aimed at reducing traffic accidents and protecting road users.

Todt, the former president of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and former team principal of the Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 team, presented Nga with a signed copy of his latest book, The Silent Pandemic, while Nga gifted the couple a Malaysian batik necktie and scarf symbolising Malaysia’s cultural heritage.

The statement said that Nga also held bilateral meetings with several dignitaries, including Iran’s Vice President Dr Shina Ansari; Turkiye’s Minister of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change Murat Kurum and Chairperson of the Global Zero Waste Foundation Samed Agirbas. 

At the forum, Malaysia was also presented with the Global Zero Waste Leadership Special Citation Award, recognising the country’s growing influence in advancing sustainability and zero-waste initiatives toward cleaner, greener, and more resilient cities.

--BERNAMA