Highlights

• Berjaya Land signs MOU to develop rare earth element mining in Perlis, expanding beyond traditional property and leisure sectors.
• The project represents a potential milestone in Malaysia's strategic minerals development amid global supply chain shifts.
• Malaysia positions itself to compete with regional rivals in rare earth mineral extraction and global supply chain diversification.

Berjaya Land Berhad (opens in a new tab), a subsidiary of Berjaya Corporation (opens in a new tab) controlled by Malaysian tycoon Vincent Tan (opens in a new tab), has signed a memorandum of understanding to explore and develop rare earth element (REE) mining in Perlis, Malaysia’s northernmost state.

The agreement, inked with Impianan Utara Sdn. Bhd., (opens in a new tab) outlines plans not only for rare earth extraction but also the development of large-scale plantations for Napier hybrid grass and Blackthorn durian. The filing, disclosed on Tuesday, signals a potential pivot into strategic minerals for Berjaya Land, which has historically focused on the property and leisure sectors.

Malaysia has increasingly drawn attention as a rare earth frontier, particularly following global supply chain disruptions and China’s tightening export controls on critical minerals. If advanced, this project could mark one of the country’s most high-profile private sector rare earth element (REE) initiatives.

Why It Matters:

With regional competitors such as Indonesia and Vietnam gaining ground, Malaysia’s rare earth ambitions could reposition Southeast Asia’s role in the global supply chain, particularly as Western nations seek to diversify away from China's dominance.

Rare Earth Exchanges will monitor this development for signals on licensing, environmental review, and strategic alignment with national resource policies.