Kuala Lumpur: The government is not hastily pursuing developed nation status, but Malaysia’s improving economic growth has positioned the country to potentially achieve this status by 2028 to 2029, according to Economy Minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Rafizi stated that the country is currently in a favorable position, attracting foreign investors and being regarded as a strategic gateway to ASEAN. He emphasized that the government’s focus is not on rapidly achieving developed nation status, but rather on maintaining the current economic growth trajectory, which could naturally lead to this milestone.

Rafizi’s remarks came in response to economic analyst Dr. Mohd Azwardi Md Isa, who advised against rushing to achieve developed nation status without balancing key factors that serve as true benchmarks. Rafizi noted Malaysia’s status as an open trading nation, making it susceptible to global events and changes, such as leadership transitions in the White House.

He highlighted that the Ministry of Economy is concentrated on building robust infrastructure to better handle global disruptions rather than solely focusing on developed nation status. During a dialogue session, Rafizi underscored the importance of prioritizing states like Kedah, Sabah, Sarawak, Kelantan, Terengganu, and Perlis for better allocation distribution and connectivity improvements.

Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor appreciated the federal government’s inclusive approach in national development planning. He emphasized Kedah’s promising investment achievements and the goal to increase its GDP contribution to 10 percent to match more developed states, aligning with the federal government’s commitment to prosperity.