Economic growth for the first quarter is expected to meet the advance forecast of 5.3%, if not better, says Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir.
KUALA LUMPUR: Economic growth for the first quarter (1Q) of this year is expected to meet the advance forecast of 5.3%, if not better, said Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir today.
The Department of Statistics Malaysia last month estimated that the economy grew by 5.3% in 1Q 2026, moderating from the 6.3% growth recorded in the preceding quarter.
Bank Negara Malaysia is expected to announce the 1Q 2026 economic performance tomorrow.
Akmal Nasrullah said that regarding the forecast shared earlier, there are still several matters that have not been finalised due to slight discrepancies in the data.
“However, based on the latest data to be released tomorrow, I see our initial estimate was actually quite conservative.
“Although I am personally inclined to tone things down in the context of the current crisis, I expect 1Q growth will not differ much from our projection and may even be better than the previous estimate,” he said after launching the 32nd edition of the Malaysia Economic Monitor (MEM) report.
The report, issued by the World Bank, is themed “Raising the Ceiling, Raising the Floor: The Jobs Agenda as a Productivity Agenda.”
