Malaysia

Malaysia’s R...

Malaysia’s agricultural sector continues to be dominated by the export-oriented rubber and palm oil sectors, the latter of which has achieved primacy in recent years. Palm oil accounts for as much as 8% of Malaysia’s GDP alone, and the recent listing of major plantations owner Felda raised $3.1bn and earned cash payments for upwards of 100,000 families. The sector, however, is facing the...

Malaysia’s government is in the midst of implementing a long-term strategy that seeks to diversity the national economy away from dependence on the core Kuala Lumpur/ Klang Valley area. This plan, introduced in 2006 under the 9th Malaysia Plan by then-Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmed Badawi, created five regional economic corridors: Iskandar Malaysia (IM), the East Coast Economic Region (ECER),...

Education is a renewed area of focus for the Malaysian government, which has increased its spending on the sector by 60% over the past two years as part of its commitment to building a high-income economy. The current system enjoys relatively high grades in global reports but suffers from low enrolment across primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. Private schools have emerged to fill this gap,...

Malaysia’s media scene is dominated by cross-platform conglomerates such as Media Premia, which operates the country’s most popular free TV channels and has a commanding presence in print, radio and online as well. Other groups include Star Publications, Sin Chew Media and the Redberry Media Group. Meanwhile Astro Holdings, which relisted on the KL bourse in 2012, dominates the pay-TV sector and...

Malaysia has developed competitive industries in a number of key fields, from agriculture-based products like rubber and halal food, to petroleum and chemical products, to high-tech electrical and electronics manufacturing. The government’s strategy for turning Malaysia into a high-income economy includes shifting from low- to high-value production, emphasising sectors like bio-technology and...