Kuala lumpur: Malaysia aims to be listed among the 12 most competitive countries in the world by 2030, in line with the target under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), said Deputy Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Liew Chin Tong.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the ranking is based on the World Competitiveness Ranking (WCR) published by the Institute for Management Development (IMD), which covers 330 indicators across four major areas: economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency, and infrastructure.

Liew noted that Malaysia is currently ranked 23rd in the WCR 2025, which marks a significant jump of 11 places from its previous position of 34th, showcasing notable advancement in the nation's competitiveness. He made these remarks during the Dewan Negara sitting in response to Senator Datuk Edward Linggu Bukut's query about the government's strategies to bolster economic competitiveness through high-impact investments, industrial automation, and the digital economy. The senator also inquired about ensuring equitable development in regions such as Sabah and Sarawak, aligning with the MADANI Economy and the 13MP.

Liew emphasized that the 13MP target would be achieved through a comprehensive government approach, which includes the enactment of the Government Service Efficiency Commitment Act 2025, pragmatic economic and monetary policies, and an annual productivity increase of 3.6 percent.

He identified five main indicators as the government's focus for ongoing improvement: the human development index, higher education attainment, percentage of research and development expenditure, information and communication technology service exports, and gross fixed capital formation.