4.2.3. Real and perceived political stability is vital
For foreign investors, image and political stability are inseparable factors. Thus, some ASEAN countries have enlisted the personal intervention of their leaders to address the concerns of nervous foreign investors. Investment promotion missions are often led by the Head of State or by a high-ranking Minister, sometimes in conjunction with investment trade shows and conferences. For instance, senior officials with the Malaysia Ministry of International Trade (MIDA) attribute much of MIDA’s success to their Prime Minister’s “top-down” commitment to “Malaysia Inc.”: