Malaysia aims to be ranked among the 12 most competitive countries in the world by 2030, according to Deputy Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Liew Chin Tong.
Speaking at the Dewan Negara sitting today, Liew said the target is part of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) and is measured against the World Competitiveness Ranking (WCR) published by the Institute for Management Development (IMD). The WCR evaluates 330 indicators across economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency and infrastructure.
“Malaysia is currently ranked 23rd in the WCR 2025, up 11 places from 34th position the previous year, thus showing significant progress in the country’s competitiveness,” he said.
He was responding to a question from Senator Datuk Edward Linggu Bukut on the government’s plans to boost economic competitiveness through high-impact investments, industrial automation and the digital economy, while ensuring equitable development in Sabah and Sarawak under the MADANI Economy framework.
Liew added that the 13MP target would be achieved through a whole-of-government approach, including the enactment of the Government Service Efficiency Commitment Act 2025, pragmatic economic and monetary policies and an annual productivity increase of 3.6 per cent.
“Five main indicators have been identified as the government’s focus for continuous improvement, including the human development index, higher education attainment, percentage of research and development expenditure, information and communication technology service exports and gross fixed capital formation,” he said.
