Kuala Lampur, Sept. 3 -- GEORGE TOWN, Sept 3 - Penang is optimistic it will surpass last year's RM22.4 billion in approved manufacturing investments after securing RM17.3 billion in the first half of 2026, with several projects yet to be reflected in the latest figures.

InvestPenang chief executive officer Datuk Seri Loo Lee Lian said the additional projects were not included in figures released by the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida) last week.

"We have a few more projects that haven't been included in the figure, so once [they are] included, we hope to achieve more than last year," she said at a press conference with Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow in Komtar today.

Chow attributed the outlook partly to the artifi...