Bahrain has invited Malaysian business community to invest in its infrastructure developments, Islamic finance and manufacturing activities. Bahrain Economic Development Board chief executive, Sheikh Mohammed Essa Al-Khalifa, said the kingdom was seeing a strong expansionary government budget, made possible by prudent economic management, the boost of the US$10 billion Gulf Development Fund and high oil prices. “This expansionary budget is likely have a strong stimulus effect, with particular investment being made in social housing and infrastructure spending,” he said in an interview with Malaysian news agency (Bernama). Sheikh Mohammed said Bahrain could also become an ideal gateway to the wider Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) that was currently estimated to have a combined gross domestic product of US$1 trillion. “There are a number of opportunities in Bahrain and, through Bahrain, to the wider GCC, in particular through trade and investment in construction, agriculture, food production, information communication technology, education, science and technology as well as tourism.