PUTRAJAYA, July 1 — Economics Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali said the upcoming 12th Malaysia Plan will revolve around three main dimensions: economic empowerment, environmental sustainability, and social reengineering.
He said the dimensions of the plan, which will last from 2021 to 2025, are meant to complement one another in realising the government’s new development model of “Shared Prosperity”, which was announced recently in conjunction with Pakatan Harapan’s first anniversary in power.
“They are also in line with our efforts to attain the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030,” Azmin said during the kick-off conference of the 12th Malaysia Plan 2021-2025, at the Marriott Hotel.
Azmin was speaking via a recorded video, as he is currently in Vienna, Austria, attending the 6th Opec and non-Opec Ministerial Meeting.
He said the conference’s outcome will support 13 inter-agency planning groups and 47 technical working groups that have been established in preparation for the Plan.
“In the mid-term review of the 11th Malaysia Plan, we elevated the principle of reforming governance to the forefront of our major policy thrusts.
“The goal is to improve governance as well as uphold accountability and transparency in government administration,” Azmin said.
He said building capacity in the public service is vital for Malaysia to achieve growth and ultimately shared prosperity.
“Malaysia needs to have an effective human resource strategy to attract, manage and retain the best talent — with the correct approaches, values and integrity — in line with our aspiration of enhanced governance.
“In our quest for the medium and long-term development goals, we must not lose sight of the present, particularly of the current economic scenario because how we manage the present will undoubtedly influence the future,” Azmin said.
The conference was organised by the ministry in partnership with United Nations Malaysia and World Bank Group.
The World Bank’s country director for Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand, Mara Warwick praised the focus on good governance and integrity.
“We are very pleased to see that the government has prioritised good governance and integrity in its national development plans as they are critical enablers of Malaysia’s transition to developed nation status in the next few years,” she said.
Similarly, UN Resident Coordinator for Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei Darussalam Stefan Priesner also lauded the Plan’s focus on Sustainable Development Goals.
“They are a great compass, because they break down people and planet-centred development into concrete goals and targets.
“One way to achieve the goals is by integrating the principles of leaving no one behind, be it inclusivity, governance and rights, into national planning and budgeting processes,” he said.
