Kuala lumpur: The government’s recent achievement of a services account surplus marks a stronger momentum of recovery for Malaysia’s economy, driven by fiscal discipline, targeted subsidy measures, and more deliberate economic restructuring.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Malay Traders and Entrepreneurs Association of Malaysia (Perdasama) president, Mohd Azamanizam Baharon, stated that this combination of measures has supported the momentum of the services sector and enhanced investor confidence in the country’s growth prospects. He noted that while the surplus does not imply the complete removal of bureaucratic hurdles, improvements such as faster approval processes, digitalisation of services, and procedural simplifications have been instrumental in boosting investor confidence and facilitating economic activities.
The national services account report recorded a surplus of RM0.7 billion in the third quarter of 2025, marking a significant economic rebound after over 14 years of continuous deficits. The Ministry of Finance announced that the economy grew by 4.7 per cent in the first nine months of 2025, showcasing Malaysia’s resilience and strong foundation in facing global challenges. In terms of the balance of payments, the current account surplus amounted to RM12.2 billion, or 2.5 per cent of gross national income (GNI), reflecting a robust goods and services account.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim attributed the RM0.7 billion surplus to strategies like the MADANI Economy, digital transformation under the New Industrial Master Plan, the energy transition agenda, the National Semiconductor Strategy, and high-impact sectors such as data centres. He emphasized that data centres, despite requiring initial imports, eventually generate significant services exports, contributing to the services sector’s growth.
Mohd Azamanizam expressed confidence that Malaysia’s orderly fiscal management will continue to bolster investor confidence, stimulate new investment activities, and solidify Malaysia’s position as a competitive investment destination in the ASEAN region. Perdasama, representing over 27,000 Bumiputera micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) members nationwide, views the country’s fiscal success as a foundation for expanding the MSME ecosystem. This achievement is expected to boost trade activities and create opportunities for local entrepreneurs in strategic value chains, including the halal, digital, modern agriculture, and renewable energy sectors.
He further conveyed Perdasama’s commitment to collaborating with the government to ensure that bumiputera entrepreneurs benefit from the economic growth through initiatives like the MSME digitalisation programme, development of the halal ecosystem, empowerment of domestic and international trade networks, and participation in high-value sectors.