Country Profile
From The Report: Malaysia 2016
View in Online Reader

Having undergone rapid development over the last half-century, Malaysia’s economy has progressed from relying on agricultural and primary commodities to being more broad-based and export-driven. Benefitting from long-term political stability, sound economic management and pragmatic leadership, the country possesses sound infrastructure, established health care and education systems, and an increasingly advanced and diversified economy. Its diversity may be one of its greatest assets: with a population that is both multi-ethnic and multilingual, it is well placed to succeed in an increasingly integrated global economy. This chapter contains a viewpoint from Prime Minister Najib Razak, and an interview with Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Driven by diversity: An ability to attract and accommodate businesses endures
OBG
plus

Having undergone rapid development over the last half-century, Malaysia’s economy has progressed from relying on agricultural and primary commodities to being broad-based and export-driven. Benefitting from long-term political stability, sound economic management and pragmatic leadership, The country possesses sound infrastructure, established health care and education systems, and an increasingly advanced and diversified economy. Its diversity may be one of its greatest assets, and with a population…

Viewpoint

A shared future: Prime Minister Najib Razak, on regional cooperation
OBG
plus

On December 31, 2015 we formally declared the establishment of the ASEAN Community, marking the culmination of a decades-long effort to integrate, to cohere and to forge ahead together. It is a day that we have all been waiting for. It is a day that we – ASEAN – can be proud of: we have maintained the high ambitions we set for ourselves in the three community blueprints – economic, political-security, and socio-cultural. Our growth has been impressive. And ASEAN is increasingly seen not only…

Overview

Unified ambitions: The re-election of the incumbent political coalition in 2013 has been followed by a period of adjustment
OBG
plus

With a constitutional monarchy and a democratic, Westminster-style parliamentary system of government, Malaysia has enjoyed many years of stability and growing prosperity since it achieved independence from Britain in 1957. The country is governed under a federal system, with many powers devolved to the state level. While it has inherited much from the British legal system, Malaysia also acknowledges the particular traditions of its indigenous groups and the Malay Muslim majority. These customs…

Interview

Reaching a compromise: OBG talks to Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad
OBG
plus

Interview: Mahathir Mohamad How do you view the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the China-backed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)? MAHATHIR MOHAMAD: The RCEP has not been fully spelled out yet, but we do want to be partners with the countries in question and have greater access to China. Even now, Malaysia is China’s biggest trading partner in South-east Asia, and this partnership is growing in leaps and bounds. But I have never been supportive of the TPP simply because…