Johor bahru: Budget 2026 is anticipated to include strategies aimed at enhancing investment inflows, advancing automation and digitalisation, and increasing the availability of high-paying jobs for Malaysians. Deputy Investment, Trade and Industry Minister, Liew Chin Tong, stated that the ministry has forwarded its proposals to the Finance Ministry, with the ultimate decision to be made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim when he presents the budget on October 10.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Liew outlined the government’s clear direction of generating better employment opportunities and encouraging industries towards adopting automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and digitalisation. He articulated this vision while speaking to reporters at the Good Job Career Fair at the University of Reading, EduCity. The overarching aim is to expedite Malaysia’s progression into a technology-driven economy.
Liew stressed the need to shift from being recognized merely as a trading nation to one that innovates and creates, transforming the perception from ‘Made in Malaysia’ to ‘Made by Malaysia’, emphasizing the production of intellectual property and innovation within the country.
Additionally, Liew highlighted that despite facing global economic challenges, Malaysia had successfully exceeded RM1 trillion in exports. This achievement is partly attributed to companies that moved operations to Malaysia under the China Plus One strategy over recent years, contributing significantly to the nation’s exports.
The previous day, the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry reported a 3.8 percent year-on-year growth in Malaysia’s trade performance for the first eight months of 2025, reaching RM1.98 trillion. Exports increased by 3.9 percent to RM1.03 trillion, while imports rose 3.6 percent to RM945.62 billion. Notably, exports surpassed the RM1 trillion mark in August, one month earlier than in 2024, with electrical and electronic products, machinery, optical and scientific equipment, as well as palm oil and related products leading the export sector.