Kuala lumpur: Malaysia's recent economic achievements, including the ringgit's performance as one of the strongest currencies in Asia, are the result of governance reforms and continuous efforts to combat corruption and misappropriation of public funds. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the strengthening of the ringgit, high economic growth, low inflation rates, and an increase in foreign and domestic investment did not happen by chance but were driven by the government's serious commitment to strengthening governance.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Prime Minister Anwar emphasized that good governance prevents those in power from depleting the nation's wealth. He stated that stopping corruption and misappropriation of funds leads to economic growth. Anwar made these remarks at the Prime Minister's Berbuka Puasa event with members of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education at the Seri Perdana Complex.

Also present at the event were Minister of Education Fadhlina Sidek, Higher Education Deputy Minister Adam Adli Abdul Halim, and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar. Anwar highlighted that the successes achieved resulted not only from the efforts of ministers but also involved the entire government machinery, including the chief secretary and civil servants, with support from the private sector, higher education institutions, and academicians.

The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction with the performance of the ringgit, which has strengthened significantly against the US dollar since early 2026 due to positive investment sentiment and foreign capital inflows. The ringgit was quoted at 3.8910/8960 at close on Friday, having breached the 4.00 psychological level in January. Analysts predict that the ringgit could hover between 3.78 and 3.80 against the greenback.

Moreover, the inflation rate remained low, between 1.3 to 1.6 per cent from the end of 2025 to the beginning of 2026, which has helped maintain purchasing power. In terms of growth, Malaysia's GDP grew by approximately 5.2 per cent in 2025, with a strong fourth-quarter performance of 6.3 per cent, reflecting robust domestic demand and continued export recovery.