Economy

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim reviews an honor guard during a welcome ceremony at the government house in Bangkok on Feb 9. 
Economy

Asian Monetary Fund idea revived amid U.S.-China row

Malaysia's Anwar cites need to make ASEAN less dependent on IMF, dollar

20 April 2023
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, left in back row, and Chinese Premier Li Qiang, right in back row, witness the signing of MOUs to enhance trade and economic cooperation in Beijing on April 1. (Photo courtesy of Prime Minister's Office of Malaysia)
South China Sea

Anwar's Beijing trip highlights economic ties, South China Sea

Malaysian PM says country will continue offshore gas exploration in EEZ

5 April 2023
A truck transports a container at a port in Shandong province, China. Economists expect exports of goods and services to China to support ASEAN economies.
Economy

Thai, Malaysian outlooks improve on tourism, China recovery: JCER

Economists say U.S. bank fallouts emerge as new concern for Asia

2 April 2023
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, left, is meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on March 31. (Photo courtesy of Prime Minister's Office of Malaysia)
International relations

Malaysia's Anwar meets Xi, likely to seek China help for rail link

Despite pro-Western image, PM wants close Beijing ties to boost economy

31 March 2023
Container ships at the Port of Felixstowe in England. CPTPP members have agreed on Britain's entry into the grouping.
Trade

U.K. accepted as 12th member of CPTPP trade bloc

Group aims to finalize first nonfounding member's accession in July

31 March 2023
Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof: "Palm oil is a stable commodity which will contribute immensely to Malaysia's GDP." (Photo by Norman Goh)
Interview

Malaysia wants palm oil hubs in Egypt, Saudi Arabia: deputy PM

World's second-largest exporter eager to diversify markets amid row with EU

30 March 2023
Malaysia's national flag flutters at a construction site in Kuala Lumpur. In recent years, Malaysia has fallen behind giant neighbor Indonesia in attracting foreign direct investment.
Economy

Malaysia trails Indonesia in attracting foreign direct investment

Experts say reforms, political stability are essential for country to narrow gap

21 March 2023
A worker holds palm oil fruit at a plantation in Slim River, Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur says new EU rules aimed at preventing deforestation discriminate against small producers of palm oil.
International relations

Malaysia says EU deforestation rule hurts its small farmers

Producer group presents petition demanding rollback of regulation

16 March 2023
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim speaks at the Invest Malaysia conference in Kuala Lumpur on March 8. (Photo by Norman Goh)
Economy

Malaysia keen on resuming high-speed rail project with Singapore

Government also commits to $2.2m seed fund to advance goal of net-zero by 2050

8 March 2023
Malaysia's Prime Minister and Finance Minister Anwar Ibrahim holds the 2023 budget document at the finance ministry building, as he departs to the parliament in Putrajaya on Feb. 24.
Economy

Malaysia's Anwar unveils first budget, with social welfare boost

New PM ups subsidies and assistance 40% as overall size smaller than 2022

24 February 2023
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, right, attends a welcoming ceremony in Bangkok with Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha. This was the leaders' first meeting since Anwar took office in November.
Trade

Thailand, Malaysia leaders agree to bolster bilateral trade

Anwar 'optimistic' on facilitating Bangkok's talks with southern rebels

10 February 2023
Women browse shops for Christmas decorations at a shopping mall in Jakarta on Dec. 12. Economists say robust household spending will support Indonesia's economic growth in 2023.
Economy

Malaysia, Indonesia 2023 GDPs revised up on firm spending: JCER

Economist consensus shows 5 ASEAN countries to expand 4.3%, India 5.6%

26 December 2022
A factory of Malaysian national automaker Proton. Vietnamese rival VinFast has moved ahead in electric-vehicle production.
Economy

Malaysia's 'middle power' ambition faces rivals in own backyard

New PM Anwar Ibrahim seeks opportunity in U.S.-China rivalry but competition abounds

11 December 2022
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim meets supporters during his first public appearance in Putrajaya on Nov. 25.
Malaysia election

Anwar faces fight to pull Malaysia out of middle-income trap

New government wrestles with old problem of brain drain fueled by Malay preference policy

6 December 2022
Thailand's newly introduced high-skilled worker visa program has drawn more than 1,600 applicants so far. (Photo by Kentaro Iwamoto)
Economy

Americans, Chinese snap up Thai 'talent visas,' official says

Manufacturing hubs seek industrial upgrade amid supply-chain shift

3 December 2022
Navis Capital Partners managing partner Nicholas Bloy said the private equity fund is looking to divest the remaining assets in its continuation fund in the next year or so. (File photo by Reuters)
DealStreetAsia

Malaysian fund Navis seeks exits for continuation assets

Economic challenges affecting consumer businesses: managing director

29 November 2022
Anwar Ibrahim talks on the phone in Putrajaya on his first work day as prime minister on Nov. 25: He must turn his attention to next year's budget. (Handout photo from Malaysia's Prime Minister Office)
Opinion

Anwar is Malaysia's best bet for navigating its challenges

Commitment to reform will be key for addressing economy's structural problems

29 November 2022
The third-quarter growth rate signals Malaysia's economic recovery from the two-year-long COVID-19 pandemic.
Economy

Malaysia's Q3 GDP grew 14.2%, highest in over a year

Growth beat forecasts with strong exports, accelerated from previous quarters

11 November 2022
Malaysia's Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz presents the 2023 budget to parliament on Oct. 7.
Economy

Malaysia's 2023 budget dangles cash aid, tax cut as election looms

Government compiles record 372bn ringgit plan but nods to fiscal sustainability

7 October 2022
The Thai economy, which depends heavily on Chinese tourists, will be hit by a slowdown in China. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
Economy

ASEAN economies seen hit by U.S. rate hikes in 2023: JCER/Nikkei

Economists revise down forecasts to 4.3% for five regional countries

3 October 2022
Malaysia accounted for 13.6% of Japan's LNG imports in 2021. (Photo by Ryosuke Hanafusa)
Energy

Japan reaches deal on emergency LNG supplies from Petronas

Economy ministry seeks out fuel from Southeast Asia to prepare for winter crunch

30 September 2022
People shop for food in a market in Hanoi: Vietnam's economy is to grow faster than its Asia-Pacific peers this year, expanding by 7.2%, the World Bank said in its latest forecast.
Economy

Vietnam emerges as Asia's growth leader as China slows

Food, fuel subsidies risk long-term distortion, warns World Bank

27 September 2022
Central Bank of Malaysia headquarters in Kuala Lumpur. The bank has hiked rates for three consecutive meetings since May. (Photo by Keiichiro Asahara)
Economy

Malaysia raises key rate for third consecutive time to 2.50%

Central bank hikes total 75 bps since May to tame inflation, align with U.S. Fed

8 September 2022
The hike comes as the Indonesian economy has yet to fully recover from the effects of COVID-19. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
Economy

Indonesia raises policy rate to 3.75% as inflation speeds up

Central bank's first hike since 2018 follows tightening by U.S., ASEAN neighbors

23 August 2022
According to Malaysia's central bank, the economy expanded by as much as 16.5% in June.
Economy

Malaysia's economy expanded 8.9% in Q2 as global demand recovers

GDP bounces back after easing of COVID-related restrictions in April

12 August 2022