The implementation of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) will prioritise reducing development disparities among states through a more balanced allocation of development expenditure, said Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan.
He explained that the government will ensure all states receive appropriate development allocations to stimulate regional economic growth in line with 13MP’s strategic framework. “We ensure that development expenditure is allocated across all states to spur economic growth,” he said.
Speaking after attending the Post-Presentation Engagement Session for the Northern Zone at Setia Spice Convention Centre in Bayan Lepas today, Amir Hamzah, who is also carrying out the duties of the Minister of Economy, highlighted that development spending will continue to focus on six less-developed states: Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis, Sabah, Sarawak and Terengganu.
He added that all projects approved under RMK12 will proceed, while the selection of future development projects will be based on data, actual public needs, and state priorities, ensuring more integrated, balanced and sustainable planning.
On investment incentives, Amir Hamzah said, “For attracting investments, we have new incentive programmes for those investing in key sectors in less-developed regions, which will be given additional incentives.”
The government also plans to introduce a more structured and comprehensive incentive package, coordinating multiple agencies including the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), the Ministry of Finance, and other agencies such as the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC).
“In the future, we want to combine everything so that there is an incentive framework that everyone can understand. All investors coming to Malaysia will understand the country’s direction and focus on where development should be placed, reducing existing gaps,” he said.
Amir Hamzah also emphasised the importance of developing new industries to diversify Malaysia’s economic landscape.
For the 13MP period, the government is committed to facilitating RM611 billion in investments, comprising RM430 billion in government development expenditure, supported by RM120 billion from government-linked companies (GLCs) and government-linked investment companies (GLICs), as well as RM61 billion through public-private partnerships (PPP).
Regarding today’s engagement session, he said it also aimed to explain the processes to ensure that the development blueprint outlined in 13MP can be successfully implemented over the next five years.
