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PRIME MINISTER Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has emphasised that the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13) will incorporate three critical governance reforms to ensure Malaysia’s development is inclusive, effective and sustainable.
Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat, Anwar said that in tandem with commendable macroeconomic achievements—a steady aggregate growth of around 5 per cent from 2021 to 2025, robust domestic-driven investment hitting a record RM384 billion in 2024, and inflation maintained at a low 1.1 per cent as of June 2025—the RMK13 governance framework will reinforce public administration and fiscal discipline.
The reforms will institutionalise a responsive and efficient government machinery, ensuring public services are citizen‑centred while fiscal strength is preserved through targeted expenditure impact. Anwar stressed that integrity and accountability must permeate all sectors—public servants, enforcement agencies, GLCs, GLICs and civil society alike.
To solidify this approach, the government will roll out the Government Efficiency Commitment (ILTIZAM) Act 2025, aimed at reducing regulatory burdens that disproportionately impact citizens and businesses.
Under the MADANI administration, fiscal reforms have progressively narrowed the deficit from 5.5 per cent in 2022 to a projected 3.8 per cent in 2025. Meanwhile, net new debt commitments have declined from approximately RM99 billion in 2022 to RM76.8 billion in 2024.
Anwar reiterated that economic growth alone is hollow if it fails to uphold dignity, equity, and human freedoms. Quoting economist Amartya Sen, he emphasised that true development must expand real freedoms enjoyed by the majority. RMK13 is positioned not just for material advancement but to foster a compassionate, value-driven society.
The strategic development framework sets measurable macro targets: achieving 4.5–5.5 per cent annual GDP growth, limiting the federal deficit to under 3 per cent of GDP, keeping national debt below 60 per cent, and raising gross national income per capita to RM77,200—crossing the threshold for high-income status. Other goals include a higher share of labour compensation in GDP, full employment by 2030, and stabilised inflation of 2–3 per cent annually.
Anwar concluded by reaffirming that democracy, integrity, and public trust in governance are indispensable pillars for Malaysia’s evolution into a prosperous, respected nation.RMK13, good governance, integrity, Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia MADANI, public service reform
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has declared that the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13) must be a shared national endeavour, with every individual, community, private sector actor and government institution working together to uplift the dignity, rights and wellbeing of the people.
"RMK13 must be owned by all. It is not merely a government agenda—it is a collective responsibility to realise our vision for a more just and prosperous nation," Anwar told the Dewan Rakyat during the tabling of the five-year national plan.
Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to clean and people-centric governance, Anwar said the MADANI Government is founded on the principles of mature democracy, responsive leadership and public accountability. These values, he said, are essential to restoring public trust in the country’s leadership and institutions.
Recent strides in reform, he noted, have already borne fruit. Malaysia’s international standing has improved, with the country rising 11 places to rank 23rd in the 2025 World Competitiveness Index. This performance, Anwar said, reflects the Government’s focus on institutional strengthening and reform.
Key initiatives include the introduction of the ILTIZAM Act to boost administrative efficiency, the formation of special task forces such as STAR, a broader Public Service Reform Agenda, and stronger law enforcement efforts to combat misuse of power and systemic inefficiency.
Going forward, RMK13’s governance strategy will prioritise three core areas: building an efficient and effective government, delivering citizen-focused public services, and ensuring fiscal discipline with measurable impacts that reach intended target groups.
Anwar cautioned that it is not always wrongdoing that erodes public trust—but rather inaction in the face of injustice or hardship. “Delays in resolving injustices, indifference to public suffering, and resistance to necessary reforms represent dangerous moral gaps,” he said.
He added by calling for a whole-of-society embrace of integrity and accountability—extending beyond civil servants and enforcement agencies to include statutory bodies, government-linked companies (GLCs), government-linked investment companies (GLICs), private corporations and civil society organisations.
“Only with this collective commitment to moral leadership can we build a nation that is not only efficient, but truly respected and dignified,” said Anwar. - July 31, 2025
