Kuala lumpur: Malaysia’s financial sector must remain a cornerstone of transformation as Malaysia enters the next chapter of the country’s development agenda under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), said Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan today. He emphasized the need for the sector to remain adaptive, competitive, and inclusive while safeguarding trust, integrity, and resilience at its core.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Amir Hamzah highlighted the significant progress made by Malaysia’s financial sector over the decades. The sector has strengthened its foundations, broadened access, and embraced digital transformation under the Financial Sector Blueprint 2022-2026. It now contributes meaningfully not only to the gross domestic product but also to national development outcomes, ranging from small and medium enterprises financing and Islamic finance leadership to digital payments and social protection mechanisms. However, Amir Hamzah stressed that progress must continue.
Under the 13MP, the financial sector is identified as one of 17 high-growth, high-value, and high-impact strategic sectors that will support enhanced economic diversity. In his special address at the MyFintech Week 2025, Amir Hamzah stated that the financial system must serve as a catalyst for the country’s transition to a value-creation-based economy by fostering a culture of innovation. Achieving the aspirations of the 13MP would require unwavering commitment, innovative policies, and close cooperation across all sectors of society.
He urged financial institutions to lead by example, emphasizing the importance of investing in people and promoting cross-functional mobility, diverse teams, and communities of practice to build a learning and adaptive financial system. Amir Hamzah outlined four strategic imperatives to guide the way forward, namely F-I-N-D, which stands for ‘Foster, Invest, Nurture, and Democratise’.
Looking ahead, he stressed the importance of scaling solutions that blend digital innovation with community engagement, particularly for informal workers, gig economy participants, and microenterprises. He also highlighted the need to prioritize financial literacy, especially among youth, women, and rural communities, as these efforts are essential to strengthening the social safety net and building lasting financial resilience.
Themed ‘Ideate, Innovate, Co-create: Shaping the Future of Finance’, the third instalment of MyFintech Week 2025 was organized by BNM, the Securities Commission Malaysia, the Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers, Fintech Association of Malaysia, and Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation, held from Aug 4-7.