KUALA LUMPUR, May 21 — The next five years will prove who exactly will benefit from the billions of ringgit in liabilities taken on by controversial state-owned fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), as the country takes the final lap towards its goal of achieving developed nation status, Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said today.

She said the federal government’s aspirations of achieving high-income nation status by 2020 are commendable, but claimed that Malaysia has fallen short of its lofty goals under the recently concluded 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP).

“I am concerned with the leadership and approach of today which has failed to meet the GDP (gross domestic product) target for four out of the five years under the 10MP,” Wan Azizah said in a statement.

“I am also concerned about the real impact of the past 10MP and the coming 11MP on the lives and wellbeing of the rakyat at large... it was stated in the 10MP that 1MDB will benefit the rakyat and come the 11MP we will be able to see who truly benefits from 1MDB and how GST will be collected and spent,” she added, referring to the recently implemented Goods and Services Tax.

Wan Azizah said the country still needs to find the best solution to deal with income inequality, noting that the Pakatan Rakyat opposition pact will closely monitor the 11MP — which was tabled earlier today — on the principles of inclusive development, transparent planning, executing and delivery, and the true outcome and impact of each initiative.

Earlier this morning, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak tabled the 11MP in Parliament, outlining his administration’s goal of raising Malaysia’s level to that of a high-income developed nation by 2020.