_(3to4-1).jpg) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's capital city and the country's major financial hub. | |
| Currency | Ringgit (MYR, RM) |
|---|---|
| Calendar year | |
Trade organisations | APEC,ASEAN,IOR-ARC,WTO,JETRO,RCEP,CPTPP,EAS,AFTA |
Country group | |
| Statistics | |
| Population |  34,200,000 (2025)[2] |
| GDP | |
| GDP rank | |
GDP growth |
|
GDP per capita | |
GDP per capita rank | |
GDP by sector |
|
GDP by component |
|
 1.2% (May 2025)[4] | |
Population belowpoverty line | |
| 40.7medium (2021)[10] | |
 52 out of 100 points (2025,54th rank) | |
Labour force | |
Labour force by occupation |
|
| Unemployment | 2.9% (2025)[4] |
Average gross salary | RM5000 / 1183US$ monthly[16] (2025) |
Main industries | Electronics,semiconductors,microchips,integrated circuits,rubber,oleochemicals,automotive,optical devices,pharmaceuticals,medical equipment,smelting,timber,wood pulp,Islamic finance,petroleum,liquified natural gas,petrochemicals,telecommunications |
| External | |
| Exports | |
Export goods | Electrical & electronic products,palm oil & palm oil based agriculture products,petroleum products,chemicals & chemical products,machinery, equipment & parts, manufactures of metal, optical & scientific equipment,liquified natural gas, palm oil-based manufactured products,processed food |
Main export partners | |
| Imports | $314.3 billion (2025)[20] |
Import goods | Electrical & electronic products, petroleum products,machinery, equipment & parts,chemicals & chemical products, manufactures of metal,crude petroleum, transport equipment,processed food, optical & scientific equipment,iron & steel products |
Main import partners | |
FDI stock | $234 billion (2024 est.)[21] |
| $13.148 billion (2024)[4] | |
Grossexternal debt |  $319 billion (2024 est.)[8] |
| Public finances | |
| 66.86% of GDP (2024)[4] | |
| US$124.1 billion (November 2024) | |
| −4.36% of GDP (2024)[4] | |
| Revenues | 66.44 billion (2024 est.)[8] |
| Expenses | 104 billion (2025 est.)[22] |
| Economic aid | $4.4 billion (2025 est.) |
All values, unless otherwise stated, are inUS dollars. | |
Theeconomy ofMalaysia is anupper-middle income,newly industrialised,developing economy, which is relativelyopen and state oriented.[26][27] It ranks as the35th largest in the world in terms ofnominal GDP and30th largest by purchasing power parity (PPP). It has a labour workforce of 17.51 million with thelabour productivity of Malaysian workers being the 62nd highest in the world and significantly higher thanChina,Indonesia,Vietnam, and thePhilippines.[28]
The Malaysian economy has developed vertical and horizontal integration across several export linked industries while capturing a significant global market share for manufactured products and commodities ranging fromintegrated circuit,semiconductor, andpalm oil toliquefied natural gas.
Malaysia is the35th most trade intensive economy globally; higher than countries such asDenmark,Norway,Germany, andSweden with total trade activities at 132% of its GDP, while recording consistent trade surpluses since 1998.[29] Its economy being highly robust and diversified, has achieved improved export value especially forhigh-tech products which made up around US$66 billions of the country's exports, the third highest in ASEAN.[30] The country alsoexports the second largest volume and value of palm oil products globally, afterIndonesia.[31]
Furthermore, Malaysia is an important nexus in the global semiconductor market and is the third largest exporter of semiconductor devices in the world.[32] Towards this end, Malaysia has unveiled an ambitious plan to target over US$100 billion in investment for its semiconductor industry as it positions itself as a global manufacturing hub.[33]
By mid-2024, the country had attracted largeforeign direct investment centered on the globalartificial intelligence boom with foreign technology companies likeGoogle,Microsoft andByteDance flocking to the country and investing US$2 billion,[34] US$2.2 billion,[35] and US$2.1 billion,[36] respectively, to capitalise on Malaysia's competitive advantage in thedata center andhyperscale construction industries due to its highly educated workforce, cheap land acquisition, low water and electricity cost, and the absence ofnatural disasters.[37] This is expected to consolidate Malaysia's position as acloud computing hub for wider Asia, increasing its high value sector and propelling its economy to meet the governmentshigh-income economy goal.
Positioning Malaysia as a business hub, it excels above similar income group peers in terms of business competitiveness and innovation. TheGlobal Competitiveness Report (2025) ranks the Malaysian economy as the 23rd most competitive in the world and the second most competitive in Southeast Asia afterSingapore[38] whileGlobal Innovation Index (2024) ranks Malaysia as the 33rd most innovative nation globally.
Overall,Malaysians enjoy a relatively affluent lifestyle compared to many of its neighbours inSoutheast Asia. This is due to a fast-growing export-oriented economy, a relatively low nationalincome tax, highly affordable local food and transport fuel, with recent government initiatives such as reducing fuel prices further. Malaysians also benefit from a fully subsidizedsingle-payer public healthcare system with its health infrastructure contributing to fast-growing medical tourism rates.
As one of three countries that control theStrait of Malacca, international trade plays a very significant role in Malaysia's economy.[39] At one time, it was the largest producer oftin,rubber andpalm oil in the world.[40]Manufacturing has a large influence in the country's economy, accounting for over 40% of the GDP.[41]
In the 1980s, Malaysia began to imitate the fourAsian Tiger economies (Hong Kong,Singapore,South Korea, andTaiwan) and committed itself to a transition from being reliant onmining andagriculture to an economy that depends more on manufacturing. The predominantly mining and agricultural based Malaysian economy began a transition towards a more multi-sector economy. Since the 1980s the industrial sector has led Malaysia's growth. High levels of investment played a significant role in this. With Japanese investment, heavy industries flourished and within several years, Malaysian exports became the country's primary growth engine. Malaysia consistently achieved more than 7% GDP growth along with low inflation in the 1980s and the 1990s.
In 1991, Prime MinisterMahathir Mohamad outlined his ideal,Vision 2020 in which Malaysia would become a self-sufficient industrialised nation by 2020.[42] In 2013, Minister in the Prime Minister's DepartmentTan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop said Malaysia could attain developed country status in 2018 if the country's economic growth remains constant or increases.[43] In 2023, the Malaysian government unveiled an industrial policy, the New Industrial Master Plan (NIMP) 2030, a guideline for the nation's manufacturing sector to grow and achieve macroeconomic targets, aiming for RM587.5 billion (from RM364.1 billion) contribution to Malaysia's GDP, 3.3 million (from 2.7 million) employed persons and a median salary of RM4,510 (from RM1,976) by 2030.[44]
Malaysia experienced an economic boom and underwent rapid development during the late 20th century and had a GDP per capita (nominal) of US$11,648.70 in 2023, and is considered anewly industrialised country.[45][46][47] In 2009, the GDP (PPP) was US$378.5 billion and GDP per capita (PPP) was US$13,468.00, about one third of the 2023 figures.[48]
In 2022, the Household Income Survey undertaken by the government indicated that there were 7.9 million households in Malaysia, with an average of 3.8 members in each household. In the latest Household Income Survey 2024, the mean monthly household income of Malaysia was RM9,155 with an annual growth rate of 3.8%.[49] Thefederal territories,Selangor andJohor were the three regions with thehighest average household income in Malaysia, all of them surpassed the threshold of RM10,000 that year.
According to aHSBC report in 2012, Malaysia is expected to become the world's 21st largest economy by 2050, with a GDP of $1.2 trillion (Year 2000 dollars) and a GDP per capita of $29,247 (Year 2000 dollars). The report also says "The electronic equipment, petroleum, and liquefied natural gas producer will see a substantial increase in income per capita. Malaysian life expectancy, relatively high level of schooling, and above average fertility rate will help in its rapid expansion." Viktor Shvets, the managing director inCredit Suisse, has said "Malaysia has all the right ingredients to become a developed nation."[50]
In early 2020, the Malaysian economy was severely afflicted by theCOVID-19 pandemic that eventually expanded to the rest of the world, causing an economic shutdown and downturn in the country, the worst since 2008.[citation needed] In early December 2020 during the pandemic,Fitch Ratings downgraded the country's rating from A− to BBB+. Some, such as Hoo Ke Ping at the Kingsley Strategic Institute, suggested that this was because of a lack of communication between the new government and the ratings agency. Others, such as Carmelo Ferlito, from the Centre for Market Education, said it might require something more substantial as the recent budget lacked a strategy for the recovery as well as addressing the political tensions, and also, Shan Saeed at Juwai IQI suggested that the agency had lost its relevance as the analysis was "behind the curve".[citation needed] However, the COVID-19 recession in the country ended by 1 April 2022 as the COVID-19Omicron infection rate continued to fall ahead of theendemic phase.
Prior to the1997 Asian Financial Crisis, theMalaysian Ringgit (MYR) was a floating currency that traded at RM2.50 at the dollar. As speculative activities spread across the region, the Ringgit fell to as much as RM4.10 to the dollar in matter of weeks.
An executive decision led by the then Prime MinisterMahathir Mohamad decided to peg the MYR to the dollar and impose capital controls to prevent excessive outflow of the Ringgit in the open market. The Ringgit became was pegged at RM3.80 to the US dollar and a traveller had to declare to the central bank if taking out more than RM10,000 out of the country and the Ringgit itself .
Thefixed exchange rate was abandoned in favour of thefloating exchange rate in July 2005, hours after China announced the same move.[51] At this point, the Ringgit was still not internationalised. The Ringgit continued to strengthen to 3.18 to the dollar by March 2008 and appreciated as low as 2.94 to the dollar in May 2011. Meanwhile, many aspects of capital control have been slowly relaxed byBank Negara Malaysia. However, the government continues to not internationalise the Ringgit. The government stated that the Ringgit will be internationalised once it is ready.[52]
Bank Negara Malaysia for the time being, uses interest rate targeting. TheOvernight Policy Rate (OPR) is their policy instrument, used to guide the short term interbank rates which is designed to target a desired inflation and economic growth rate.
Tun Abdul Razak, who was then Prime Minister, implemented theaffirmative action policy named asNew Economic Policy (NEP) soon after13 May Incident in 1969.[53] Prior to the incident, the poverty rates amongMalays were extremely high (65%) as was discontent between races, particularly towards the Chinese, who controlled 74% of the economy at the time.[54][55] Through NEP, theBumiputeras majority were given priority and special privileges in housing developments, scholarship admission and also for ownership of publicly listed companies.
The NEP was created in 1971 with the aim of bringing Malays a 30% share of the economy of Malaysia and eradicating poverty amongst Malays, primarily through encouraging enterprise ownership by Bumiputeras. After 40 years of the program, bumiputra equity ownership rose to 23% worth RM167.7 billion in 2010 against 2.4% in 1970.
The NEP was accused of creating anoligarchy, and creating a 'subsidy mentality'.[56] Political parties such asParti Keadilan Rakyat andDemocratic Action Party proposed a new policy which will be equal for every Malaysian, regardless of race.[57] When the Democratic Action Party was elected in the state ofPenang in 2008, it announced that it would do away with the NEP, claiming that it "... breedsnepotism, corruption and systemic inefficiency".[58]
Wolfgang Kasper, a professor of economics atUniversity of New South Wales, and once an adviser to Malaysia's Finance Ministry, criticized the NEP, saying that "NEP handouts (are) making Malays lazy, corrupt & swell-headed. Worst of all, it keeps them poor." He also criticized the Federal Government giving cash-handouts and financial aid instead of providing equal access to education to help the marginalized poor to lift their income status.
On 21 April 2009, the prime ministerNajib Tun Razak announced the liberalization of 27 services sub-sector by abolishing the 30% bumiputera requirement. The move was seen as a government effort to increase investment in the service sector of the economy. According to the premier, many more sectors of the economy would be liberalized.[59]
On 30 June 2009, the prime minister announced further liberation moves including the dismantling of the Bumiputera equity quotas and repealing the guidelines of the Foreign Investment Committee, which was responsible to monitor foreign shareholding in Malaysian companies. However, any Malaysian companies that wished to list in Malaysia would still need to offer 50 percent of public shareholding spread to Bumiputera investors.[60]
The Malaysian government subsidises and controls prices on many essential items to keep the prices low. Prices of items such as palm oil, cooking oil, petrol, flour, bread, rice and other essentials have been kept under market prices to keep cost of living low.[61] As of 2022, government expenditure on subsidies stood at RM70.3 billion (US$15.96 billion), with fuel alone taking up RM52 billion (US$11.8 billion) or 74% of total subsidies.[62]
Since 2010, the government has been gradually reforming Malaysia's subsidy system, via a series of reductions in subsidies for fuel and sugar to improve government finances and to improve economic efficiency. As a result, in December 2014, the government officially ended all fuel subsidies and implemented a 'managed float' system,[63] taking advantage of low oil prices at the time, potentially saving the government almost RM20 billion ringgit (US$5.72 billion) annually.[64]
On 10 June 2024, the Malaysian government ended the previously reimplementation of blanket subsidies on diesel fuel. Instead, a more selective, targeted subsidy was implemented, where cash assistance was directly disbursed to qualified individuals or fleet cards to eligible logistics vehicles.[65] Plans for removal of petrol subsidies have yet to be announced but it is expected to take place in 2025. The withdrawal of said subsidies will target the top 15% of income earners, while the remaining 85% will continue to enjoy the status quo.[66]
The government owns and operates severalsovereign wealth funds that invest in local companies and also foreign companies. One such fund isKhazanah NasionalBerhad, established in 1993, and as of 31 December 2023, had an asset size of RM126.2 billion (US$27.46 billion).[67] The fund invests in major companies in Malaysia such asCIMB in the banking sector,UEM Group in the construction sector,Telekom Malaysia andAxiata in the communications industry,Malaysia Airports andMalaysia Airlines in the aerospace industry, as well asTenaga Nasional in the energy sector[68]
Another fund owned by the Malaysian government is theEmployees Provident Fund, a retirement fund that as of 31 March 2024, had an asset size of RM1.19 trillion (US$251.61 billion), of which overseas investments account for 38% of total assets,[69] making it the 4th largest pension fund in Asia and 13th largest in the world.[70] LikeKhazanah Nasional, EPF invests and owns several major companies in Malaysia such asRHB Bank.[71] EPF investment is diversified over a number of sectors but almost 40% of their investment are in the services sector.[72]
Permodalan Nasional Berhad is another major fund manager controlled by the Malaysian Government. It offerscapital guaranteed mutual funds such as Amanah Saham Bumiputera and Amanah Saham Wawasan 2020 which are open only to Malaysian and in some cases, Bumiputeras.[73]
Although the federal government promotes private enterprise and ownership in the economy, the economic direction of the country is heavily influenced by the government through five years development plans since independence. The economy is also influenced by the government through agencies such as the Economic Planning Unit and government-linked wealth funds such asKhazanah NasionalBerhad,Employees Provident Fund andPermodalan Nasional Berhad.
The government's development plans, called the Malaysian Plan, currently theTwelfth Malaysia Plan, started in 1950 during the British colonial rule.[74] The plans were largely centred around accelerating the growth of the economy by selectively investing in sectors of the economy and building infrastructure to support said sectors.[74] For example, in the current national plan, three primary aspects of the nation are being focused, consisting of strategies to energise and maintain economic empowerment, environmental sustainability and social reengineering.[75]
Government-linked investment vehicles such asKhazanah NasionalBerhad,Employees Provident Fund andPermodalan Nasional Berhad invest in and own companies in major sectors of the Malaysian economy.
The following table shows the main economic indicators in 1980–2021 (with IMF staff estimates in 2022–2027). Inflation below 5% is in green.[76]
| Year | GDP (in Bil. US$PPP) | GDP per capita (in US$ PPP) | GDP (in Bil. US$nominal) | GDP per capita (in US$ nominal) | GDP growth (real) | Inflation rate (in Percent) | Unemployment (in Percent) | Government debt (in % of GDP) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 46.3 | 3,337.8 | 26.8 | 1,927.0 | 7.4% | 6.7% | n/a | n/a |
| 1981 | 54.3 | 3,813.0 | 27.3 |  1,920.1 | 6.9% | 9.7% | n/a | n/a |
| 1982 | 61.0 | 4,182.4 | 29.3 | 2,006.5 | 5.9% | 5.8% | n/a | n/a |
| 1983 | 67.4 | 4,505.6 | 32.7 | 2,189.6 | 6.3% | 3.7% | n/a | n/a |
| 1984 | 75.2 | 4,908.0 | 37.1 | 2,419.5 | 7.8% | 3.9% | n/a | n/a |
| 1985 | 76.9 | 4,862.0 | 34.1 | 2,154.5 | -0.9% | 2.6% | 6.9% | n/a |
| 1986 | 79.4 | 4,883.2 | 30.3 | 1,864.0 | 1.2% | 0.4% | 8.3% | n/a |
| 1987 | 85.7 | 5,139.6 | 34.5 | 2,070.0 | 5.4% | 0.7% | 8.2% | n/a |
| 1988 | 97.6 | 5,708.0 | 37.8 | 2,213.9 | 9.9% | 0.3% | 8.1% | n/a |
| 1989 | 110.6 | 6,316.4 | 41.7 | 2,380.5 | 9.1% | 2.6% | 6.7% | n/a |
| 1990 | 125.1 | 6,846.2 | 47.2 | 2,585.8 | 9.0% | 3.0% | 5.1% | 74.1% |
| 1991 | 141.6 | 7,636.5 | 53.5 | 2,885.1 | 9.5% | 4.3% | 4.3% | 67.3% |
| 1992 | 157.7 | 8,272.5 | 64.5 | 3,380.2 | 8.9% | 4.8% | 3.7% | 59.1% |
| 1993 | 177.5 | 9,053.0 | 72.9 | 3,717.4 | 9.9% | 3.5% | 3.0% | 51.1% |
| 1994 | 197.9 | 9,827.3 | 81.1 | 4,028.4 | 9.2% | 3.7% | 2.9% | 43.7% |
| 1995 | 222.0 | 10,731.8 | 96.6 | 4,672.1 | 9.8% | 3.5% | 3.1% | 38.2% |
| 1996 | 248.6 | 11,715.0 | 109.9 | 5,176.3 | 10.0% | 3.5% | 2.5% | 32.8% |
| 1997 | 271.4 | 12,469.0 | 108.8 | 4,997.0 | 7.3% | 2.7% | 2.4% | 29.6% |
| 1998 | 254.3 | 11,386.4 | 78.6 | 3,520.9 | -7.4% | 5.3% | 3.2% | 33.6% |
| 1999 | 273.7 | 11,946.7 | 86.2 | 3,762.8 | 6.1% | 2.7% | 3.4% | 34.4% |
| 2000 | 304.2 | 12,945.8 | 102.1 | 4,347.7 | 8.7% | 1.6% | 3.1% | 32.5% |
| 2001 | 312.6 | 12,959.3 | 101.1 | 4,189.1 | 0.5% | 1.4% | 3.7% | 38.1% |
| 2002 | 334.6 | 13,532.2 | 109.8 | 4,441.8 | 5.4% | 1.8% | 3.5% | 39.5% |
| 2003 | 361.0 | 14,256.3 | 120.0 | 4,740.3 | 5.8% | 1.1% | 3.6% | 41.4% |
| 2004 | 395.8 | 15,278.8 | 135.9 | 5,244.9 | 6.8% | 1.4% | 3.6% | 42.0% |
| 2005 | 428.5 | 16,184.8 | 150.4 | 5,678.7 | 5.0% | 3.0% | 3.6% | 40.8% |
| 2006 | 466.4 | 17,383.1 | 170.5 | 6,355.0 | 5.6% | 3.6% | 3.3% | 39.7% |
| 2007 | 509.2 | 18,789.4 | 202.9 | 7,485.9 | 6.3% | 2.0% | 3.2% | 39.3% |
| 2008 | 544.0 | 19,711.4 | 242.1 | 8,771.0 | 4.8% | 5.4% | 3.3% | 39.4% |
| 2009 | 539.2 | 19,202.1 | 212.0 | 7,550.3 | -1.5% | 0.6% | 3.7% | 50.4% |
| 2010 | 586.8 | 20,525.5 | 258.8 | 9,054.1 | 7.5% | 1.7% | 3.3% | 51.2% |
| 2011 | 630.7 | 21,701.7 | 302.6 | 10,413.7 | 5.3% | 3.2% | 3.1% | 51.9% |
| 2012 | 677.6 | 22,963.3 | 319.2 | 10,815.1 | 5.5% | 1.7% | 3.0% | 53.8% |
| 2013 | 701.7 | 23,224.6 | 328.1 | 10,858.4 | 4.7% | 2.1% | 3.1% | 55.7% |
| 2014 | 745.4 | 24,273.0 | 343.1 | 11,172.4 | 6.0% | 3.1% | 2.9% | 55.4% |
| 2015 | 750.8 | 24,074.1 | 301.4 | 9,663.3 | 5.0% | 2.1% | 3.2% | 57.0% |
| 2016 | 783.9 | 24,779.9 | 301.9 | 9,544.2 | 4.5% | 2.1% | 3.5% | 55.8% |
| 2017 | 829.3 | 25,897.2 | 319.2 | 9,969.5 | 5.8% | 3.8% | 3.4% | 54.4% |
| 2018 | 890.2 | 27,491.3 | 359.0 | 11,086.1 | 4.8% | 1.0% | 3.3% | 55.6% |
| 2019 | 946.1 | 29,091.6 | 365.3 | 11,231.5 | 4.4% | 0.7% | 3.3% | 57.1% |
| 2020 | 904.6 | 27,760.7 | 337.6 | 10,361.3 | -5.5% | -1.1% | 4.5% | 67.7% |
| 2021 | 971.3 | 29,702.4 | 373.0 | 11,407.7 | 3.1% | 2.5% | 4.7% | 69.0% |
| 2022 | 1,096.5 | 33,112.7 | 434.1 | 13,107.9 | 5.4% | 3.2% | 4.5% | 69.6% |
| 2023 | 1,185.3 | 35,353.6 | 467.5 | 13,942.6 | 4.4% | 2.8% | 4.3% | 70.0% |
| 2024 | 1,269.7 | 37,416.1 | 503.1 | 14,826.0 | 4.9% | 2.4% | 4.2% | 70.0% |
| 2025 | 1,350.5 | 39,335.8 | 539.6 | 15,717.8 | 4.4% | 2.4% | 4.2% | 70.2% |
| 2026 | 1,437.2 | 41,395.7 | 577.2 | 16,623.9 | 4.4% | 2.4% | 4.2% | 70.2% |
| 2027 | 1,522.7 | 43,387.1 | 615.0 | 17,523.6 | 3.9% | 2.5% | 4.2% | 70.6% |
The only legal tender in Malaysia is theMalaysian ringgit. As of December 2025, the ringgit traded at MYR 4.12 to the US dollar.[77] This was a significant change from the rate of MYR 4.80 to the dollar recorded in February 2024, an appreciation of 16.5%.
The ringgit is not internationalised.[78] Since September 1998, due to the1997 Asian financial crisis in which then Prime MinisterMahathir Mohamad imposed capital controls on the currency, due to speculative short-selling of the ringgit.[79] Due to a series of capital controls, the currency was pegged between September 1998 and July 2005 at MYR 3.80 to the dollar after dropping from MYR 2.50 to the dollar, and at one point, MYR 4.80 to the dollar.[80]
In recent years, Bank Negara Malaysia has begun to relax certain rules on capital controls, although the currency itself is still not traded internationally. According to the Bank Governor, the ringgit will be internationalised when it is ready.[81]
In September 2010, in an interview withCNBC, Dato' SeriNajib Tun Razak, who was then Prime Minister of Malaysia and also held the position of Finance Minister, said that the government was open to enabling the ringgit to offshore trading if the move would help the economy. He added that before such a move could be made, it would ensure that rules and regulation were in place to avoid abuse of the currency.[82]
Malaysia is well-endowed with natural resources in areas such as agriculture, forestry and minerals. It is an exporter of natural and agricultural resources, the most valuable exported resource being petroleum.[83] In the agricultural sector, Malaysia is one of the top exporters of natural rubber andpalm oil, which together with timber and timber products,cocoa,pepper,pineapple and tobacco dominate the growth of the sector.[84] As of 2023, the percentage arable land in Malaysia was 9.7%. Croplands consists of 17.49% while other land uses consists of 77.07%.[85] As of 2009, irrigated land covered 3,800 km2. Total renewable water resources made up 580 cubic km as of 2011.
Tin and petroleum are the two main mineral resources that are of major significance in the Malaysian economy. Malaysia was once the world's largest producer of tin until the collapse of the tin market in the early 1980s.[86] In the 19th and 20th century, tin played a predominant role in the Malaysian economy, with Malaysia accounting for over 31% of global output. It was only in 1972 that petroleum and natural gas took over from tin as the mainstay of the mineral extraction sector. Other minerals of some importance or significance include copper, bauxite, iron-ore and coal together with industrial minerals like clay,kaolin,silica,limestone,barite,phosphates and dimension stones such asgranite as well as marble blocks and slabs. Small quantities of gold are produced.
In 2019, the country was the 11th largest world producer ofmanganese;[87] the 11th largest world producer oftin,[88] the 12th largest world producer ofbauxite,[89] and the 19th largest world producer oflime.[90]
Malaysia heldprobable and proven oil reserves of 6.9 billion barrels as of January 2022,[91] the fourth-highest reserves inAsia-Pacific after China, India, andVietnam. Nearly all of Malaysia's oil comes from offshore fields. The continental shelf is divided into three producing basins: the basin offshore EasternPeninsular Malaysia in the west and theSarawak andSabah basins in the east. Most of the country's oil reserves are located in the Peninsular basin and tend to be light and sweet crude. Malaysia's benchmark crude oil,Tapis Blend, is a light and sweet crude oil, with anAPI gravity of 42.7° and a sulphur content of 0.04% by weight.
Malaysia held 87.8 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) ofproven natural gas reserves as of 2021, and was the third-largest natural gas reserve holder in the Asia-Pacific region after China andIndonesia. More than half of the country's natural gas reserves are located in its eastern areas, predominantly offshore Sarawak. Most of Malaysia's gas reserves are associated with oil basins, although Sarawak and Sabah have an increasing amount of non-associated gas reserves that have offset some of the declines from mature oil and gas basins offshore Peninsular Malaysia.[92]
In 2025, Malaysia's economy was one of the most competitive in the world, ranking 23rd in the world and 8th for countries with a population of over 20 million, higher than countries like theUnited Kingdom andSouth Korea.[93]
In the same year, Malaysia was the third most attractive country for foreign investors, ranked in the Baseline Profitability Index (BPI) published by Foreign Policy Magazine.[94]
The government is moving towards a more business friendly environment by setting up a special task force to facilitate business called PEMUDAH, which means "simplifier" in Malay.[95] Highlights includes easing restrictions and requirement to hire expatriates, shorten time to do land transfers and increasing the limit of sugar storage (a controlled item in Malaysia) for companies.[96]
Malaysia was additionally ranked 34th in theGlobal Innovation Index in 2025, and second within the upper-middle income bracket, behind China.[97]
In 2016, the Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia lowered the effective tax rate to 24% for businesses with capital exceeding RM2.5 million (approximately US$550,000). For smaller companies, the rate was 19%.[98]
The Malaysian government also imposes government taxes such as the Sales and Services tax (SST) and real estate taxes. The current rate of SST is at 6% while disposal of property is subject to a schedule of period holding the property.[99]
In 2024, Malaysia's totalexternal trade totaled RM2.879 trillion (approximately US$680 billion), made up of RM1.5 trillion (approximately US$350 billion) of exports and RM1.4 trillion (approximately US$330 billion) of imports, making Malaysia the world's21st largest exporter and the world's25th largest importer.
Malaysia's largest trading partner is China. Malaysia has been one of China's top trading partners withinASEAN along with Vietnam. On 31 May 2014, duringNajib Razak's visit to China where he was welcomed by China'sPremierLi Keqiang, China and Malaysia pledged to increase bilateral trade to US$160 billion by 2017. They also agreed to upgrade economic and financial co-operation, especially in the production of halal food, water processing and railway construction.[100] By 2024, the two-way trade volume between China and Malaysia had reached $212 billion, making Malaysia an important trading partner.[101]
Malaysia's second largest trading partner isSingapore while Malaysia is also Singapore's second largest trading partner, with bilateral trade totalling roughly US$90 billion in 2024.
Malaysia's third largest trading partner is the United States. In 2024, two-way bilateral trade between the US and Malaysia totalled US$86.5 billion, with US exports to Malaysia totalling US$27.6 billion and US imports from Malaysia increasing to US$52.5 billion.
Malaysia is an important trading partner of Japan, amounting RM137.45 billion (US$42 billion) of trade in 2014, an increase of 1.4% compared with to 2013. Out of this, exports totalled RM82.71 billion (US$25.6 billion), a growth of 4.4% cent while imports contracted 2.9% to RM54.75 billion (US$16.74 billion). Malaysian Ambassador to Japan Datuk Ahmad Izlan Idris said the main exports from Malaysia to Japan wereliquefied natural gas (LNG), electrical and electronics as well as chemical-based products. He said Malaysia's main imports from Japan were electrical and electronics, machines and equipment as well as spare parts and accessories for vehicles and cars.[102]
| Year | Goods exports (billion US$)[103] | Goods imports (in billion US$)[104] | Net trade (in billion US$)[105] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $231.4 | $201.5 | $30.0 |
| 2020 | $186.1 | $153.2 | $32.8 |
| 2015 | $174.6 | $146.7 | $27.9 |
| 2010 | $187.3 | $148.9 | $28.4 |
| 2005 | $141.6 | $108.7 | $33.0 |
| 2000 | $98.2 | $77.5 | $20.7 |
| 1990 | $28.8 | $26.3 | $2.5 |
| 1980 | $13.0 | $10.6 | $2.3 |
| 1975 | $3.8 | $3.6 | $0.2 |
Agriculture is now a minor sector of the Malaysian economy, accounting for 7.1% of Malaysia's GDP in 2014 and employing 11.1% of Malaysia's labour force, contrasting with the 1960s when agriculture accounted for 37% of Malaysia's GDP and employed 66.2% of the labour force. The crops grown by the agricultural sector has also significantly shifted from food crops likepaddy andcoconut to industrial crops likepalm oil andrubber, which in 2005 contributed to 83.7% of total agricultural land use, compared to 68.5% in 1960.[106]
Despite its minor contribution to Malaysia'sGDP, Malaysia has a significant foothold in the world's agricultural sector, being the world's second largest producer of palm oil in 2012[107] producing 18.79 million tonnes of crude palm oil on roughly 5,000,000 hectares (19,000 sq mi) of land.[108][109] ThoughIndonesia produces more palm oil, Malaysia is the world's largest exporter of palm oil having exported 18 million tonnes of palm oil products in 2011.[110]
In March 2019, theEuropean Commission concluded that palm oilcultivation results in excessivedeforestation and its use in transport fuel should be phased out by 2030. In response,Mahathir Mohamad alleged that theEuropean Union is at risk of starting atrade war with Malaysia regarding its "grossly unfair" policies geared towards decreasing the use of palm oil, which Mahathir stated was "unfair" and an example of "rich people...[trying] to impoverish poor people".[111]
In July 2024, Hong Wai Onn from theResearch Institute for Sustainable Excellence and Leadership asserted that the European Union's classification of palm oil as a highindirect land use change (ILUC) risk biofuel is flawed. He called for a reevaluation of ILUC factors to ensure more accuratecarbon intensity measurements. He argued that ignoring this issue unfairly limits palm oil's potential as a low ILUC-risk biofuel and its role in supporting global climate efforts.[112]
Science policies in Malaysia are regulated by the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation. The country is one of the world's largest exporters of semiconductor devices, electrical devices, and IT and communication products.[83]
Malaysia's industrial sector accounts for 36.8%, over a third of the country's GDP in 2014, and employs 36% of the labour force in 2012. The industrial sector mostly contributed by theelectronics industry,automotive industry andconstruction industry.
The electrical & electronics (E&E) industry is the leading sector in Malaysia's manufacturing sector, contributing significantly to the country's exports and employment. The E&E industry produces 13% of global back-end semiconductors, driving 40% of the nation's export output and contributing about 5.8% to the GDP in 2023.[113] Malaysia benefits from the global demand in the usage ofmobile devices (smartphones, tablets),storage devices (cloud computing, data centers),optoelectronics (photonics, fibre optics, LEDs) and embedded technology (integrated circuits,PCBs,LEDs).[114]
Products/activities which fall under this sub-sector includesemiconductor devices,passive components,printed circuits and other components such as media, substrates and connectors.
Within the electronic components sub-sector, the semiconductor devices is the leading contributor of exports for the E&E industry. Exports of semiconductor devices were RM111.19 billion or 47% of the total E&E products exported in 2013.
Malaysia is a major hub for electrical component manufacturing, with factories of international companies likeIntel,AMD,Freescale Semiconductor,ASE,Infineon,STMicroelectronics,Texas Instruments,Fairchild Semiconductor,Renesas,X-Fab and major Malaysian-owned companies such asGreen Packet, Silterra, Globetronics, Unisem and Inari which have contributed to the steady growth of the semiconductor industry in Malaysia. To date, there are more than 50 companies, largely MNCs producing semiconductors devices in Malaysia.[114]
Malaysia is a major hub for solar equipment manufacturing, with factories of companies likeFirst Solar,Panasonic, TS Solartech,Jinko Solar, JA Solar,SunPower,Hanwha Q Cells, andSunEdison in locations likeKulim,Penang,Malacca,Cyberjaya andIpoh.[115][116]
In 2013, Malaysia's total production capacity forsolar wafers,solar cells andsolar panels totalled 4,042MW.[117] By 2014, Malaysia was the world's third largest manufacturer ofphotovoltaics equipment, behindChina and theEuropean Union.[115]
Many international companies have the majority of production capacity located inMalaysia, such as the American companyFirst Solar which has over 2,000MW of production capacity located inKulim and only 280MW located inOhio,[118] and formerly German-basedHanwha Q Cells which produces 1,100MW worth of solar cells inCyberjaya while producing only 200MW worth of solar cells inGermany.SunPower's largest manufacturing facility with a capacity of 1,400MW is also located inMalacca.[115][119]
_in_Glenmarie%2c_Malaysia.jpg)
The automotive industry in Malaysia consists of 27 vehicle producers and over 640 component manufacturers.[120] The Malaysian automotive industry is the third largest inSoutheast Asia, and the23rd largest in the world, with an annual production output of over 500,000 vehicles.[121] The automotive industry contributes 4% or RM 40 billion to Malaysia'sGDP, and employs a workforce of over 700,000 throughout a nationwide ecosystem.[120]
The Malaysian automotive industry is Southeast Asia's sole pioneer of indigenous car companies, namelyProton andPerodua. In 2002, Proton helped Malaysia become the 11th country in the world with the capability to fully design, engineer and manufacture cars from the ground up.[122] The Malaysian automotive industry also hosts several domestic-foreign joint venture companies, which assemble a large variety of vehicles from imported complete knock down (CKD) kits.
Malaysia's first tech unicorn startup, automotive e-commerce platform Carsome, raised $290 million in a Series E funding round to expand its product, technology and infrastructure in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. This latest funding round values the used-car online marketplace at $1.7 billion.[123]
Malaysia has a large construction industry of over RM102.2 billion (US$32 billion). The highest percentage share was contributed by construction of non-residential buildings which recorded 34.6 per cent. This was followed bycivil engineering sub-sector (30.6%),residential buildings (29.7%), and special trades (5.1%).[124]
Selangor recorded the highest value of construction work done at 24.5% among the states, followed byJohor at 16.5%,Kuala Lumpur at 15.8%,Sarawak at 8.6% andPenang at 6.4%. The contribution of these five states accounted for 71.8% of the total value of construction work in Malaysia.
The expansion of the construction industry has been catalysed by major capital expenditure projects, and a key factor has been the government's Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) and public-private partnership (PPP) mega-projects likeTun Razak Exchange,KVMRT andIskandar Malaysia.[124]
Malaysia has a relatively newdefence industry that was created after the government created theMalaysia Defence Industry Council to encourage local companies to participate in the country's defence sector in 1999.
The land sector of the defence industry is dominated byDefTech, a subsidiary of Malaysia's largest automotive manufacturer,DRB-HICOM. The company focuses on manufacturingarmoured vehicles and specialised logistics vehicles. The company has suppliedACV-15 infantry fighting vehicles to the Malaysian Army in the past and is currently supplying theDefTech AV8 amphibious multirole armoured vehicle to theMalaysian Army.
The sea sector of the defence industry is dominated byBoustead Heavy Industries, who builds warships for theRoyal Malaysian Navy (RMN) throughtransfer of technology with foreign companies. The company has built 4Kedah-class offshore patrol vessels for the RMN in the past and is currently undertaking a project to build 6 moreSecond Generation Patrol Vessels for the RMN.
Kuala Lumpur has a large financial sector, and in the year 2015 is ranked the 22nd in the world in the Global Financial Centres Index.[125]There are currently 27commercial banks (8 domestic and 19 foreign), 16Islamic banks (10 domestic and 6 foreign), 15 investment banks (all domestic) and 2 other financial institutions (both domestic) operating in Malaysia.
Commercial banks are the largest and most significant providers of funds in the banking system. The largest banks in Malaysia's finance sector includeMaybank,CIMB,Public Bank,RHB Bank, andHong Leong Bank.
Malaysia is currently also the world's largestcentre of Islamic Finance. Malaysia has 16 fully-fledged Islamic banks including five foreign ones, with total Islamic bank assets of US$168.4 billion, which accounts for 25% of the Malaysia's total banking assets.[126] This in turn accounts for over 10% of the world's total Islamic banking assets. In comparison, Malaysia's main rivalUAE, has US$95 billion of assets.[127]
Malaysia is the global leader in terms of thesukuk (Islamic bond) market, issuing RM62 billion (US$17.74 billion)[128] worth of sukuk in 2014 - over 66.7%[129] of the global total of US$26.6 billion[126][130] Malaysia also accounts for around two-thirds of the global outstanding sukuk market, controlling $178 billion of $290 billion, the global total.[131]
The Malaysian government is planning to transform the country's capital Kuala Lumpur into a major financial centre in a bid to raise its profile and spark greater international trade and investment through the construction of theTun Razak Exchange (TRX). The government believes the project will allow Malaysia to compete with regional financial superpowers such asSingapore and Hong Kong, by leveraging on the country's established strength in the rapidly growing Islamic financial marketplace.[126]
Based in Kuala Lumpur,Bursa Malaysia serves as the country's sole national stock exchange. Trading of shares started in 1960 and it is today one of the largest bourses in Southeast Asia.[132][133]
Tourism is a huge sector of the Malaysian economy, with 20.14 million tourists generating RM71.3 billion (US$15.5 billion) in tourist receipts in 2023,[134][135] Total tourist receipts increased by 9% when compared to the 2013 figure of RM65.4 billion (US$20 billion).[136]
Malaysia is ranked 14th of the most visited country in the world in 2024 at 26.1 million tourists.[citation needed][137]
Malaysia is rich with diverse natural attractions which become an asset to the country's tourism industry. This was recognised by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), who declared Malaysia as "a destination full of unrealised potential" with the main strength as the availability of a vast range of diverse attractions to suit all tastes relatively affordable prices and; largely unspoilt destination.[138]
Malaysia's top tourist destinations are theMulu Caves,Perhentian Islands,Langkawi,Petronas Towers andMount Kinabalu.[139]
Medical tourism is a significant sector of Malaysia's economy, with around 850,000 individuals travelling to Malaysia specifically for medical treatments alone in 2022, contributing RM1.3 billion (US$295 million) in revenue to the economy.[140] This is down from pre-pandemic numbers of 1.2 million individuals and a total contribution of RM1.7 billion (US$416 million) but the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) already expects the figures to surpass by 2024, with an expected revenue of RM2.4 billion (US$558 million).[141]
Malaysia is reputed as one of the most preferred medical tourism destinations with modern private healthcare facilities and highly efficient medical professionals.[142] In 2014, Malaysia was ranked the world's best destination for medical tourism by theNomad Capitalist.[143] Malaysia was also included in the top 10 medical tourism destinations list by CNBC.[144]
In 2014, Prince Court Medical Centre, a Malaysian hospital, was ranked the world's best hospital for medical tourists by MTQUA.[145] MHTC announced that two Malaysian Hospitals were recognised in the Newsweek & Statista's World's Best Hospitals 2024,Gleneagles Kuala Lumpur andSunway Medical Centre.
Malaysia has a vibrantoil and gas industry. The national oil company,Petronas was ranked 216th in theFortune 500 list in 2022, generating revenue of over RM171 billion (US$36.5 billion) and possessing total assets of over RM798 billion (US$169 billion) in the first half of 2024.[146] Petronas accounted for more than 20% of the Malaysian government's revenue from 2018 to 2023. The Malaysian government has been actively cutting down on its reliance of petroleum with an expected contribution of approximately RM32 billion (around US$7 billion) from Petronas and RM64 billion (US$13.9 billion) from petroleum-derived revenues, with the latter figure down from RM69.8 billion (US$15.2 billion).[147]
Petronas is also the custodian of oil and gas reserves for Malaysia. Hence, all oil and gas activities are regulated by Petronas. Malaysia encourages foreign oil company participation through production sharing contracts, in which significant amount of oil will be given away to the foreign oil company until it reaches a production milestone. Currently, many major oil companies such asExxonMobil,Royal Dutch Shell,Nippon Oil, andMurphy Oil are involved in such contracts.[148] As a result, 40% of oil fields in Malaysia are developed.[149]
There are over 3,500 oil and gas (O&G) businesses in Malaysia comprising international oil companies, independents, services and manufacturing companies that support the needs of the O&G value chain both domestically and regionally. Many major global machinery & equipment (M&E) manufacturers have set up bases in Malaysia to complement home-grown M&E companies, while other Malaysian oil and gas companies are focused on key strategic segments such as marine, drilling, engineering, fabrication, offshore installation and operations and maintenance (O&M).
Malaysia's infrastructure is one of the most developed in Asia.[150][151] In 2016, Malaysia was ranked 18th out of 140 countries in the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report, the highest among of all developing economies in Asia. Itstelecommunications network is second only to Singapore's in Southeast Asia, with 4.5 million fixed-broadband subscribers, 8.4 million fixed-line subscribers and 50.1 million cellular subscribers in 2023.[152][153][154] The country has 7 international ports, the major one being thePort Klang. There are 200industrial parks along with specialised parks such asTechnology Park Malaysia andKulim Hi-Tech Park.[114] Fresh water is available to over 95% of the population. During the colonial period, development was mainly concentrated in economically powerful cities and in areas forming security concerns. Although rural areas have been the focus of great development, they still lag behind areas such as those in the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia.[155] The telecommunication network, although strong in urban areas, is less available to the rural population.[156]
Malaysia's energy infrastructure sector is largely dominated byTenaga Nasional, the largestelectric utility company inSoutheast Asia, with over RM99.03 billion in assets. Customers are connected to electricity through theNational Grid, with more than 420transmission substations in the Peninsular linked together by approximately 11,000 km[157] of transmission lines operating at 132, 275 and 500kilovolts.
In 2013, Malaysia's total power generation capacity was over 29,728MW. Total electricity generation was 140,985.01GWh and total electricity consumption was 116,087.51 GWh.[158]
Energy production in Malaysia is largely based on oil and natural gas, owing to Malaysia's oil reserves and natural gas reserves, which is the fourth largest inAsia-Pacific after China, India andVietnam.[159]
Malaysia has also significant renewable energy resources and has high potential for the development of large-scale solar power and it has one of the most advanced legal frameworks in the ASEAN region for promoting renewables.[160] The country set a 20% target of renewable energy in its energy mix by 2025 and to achieve this the government will need to improve its renewable energy governance, investment policy and market entry for foreign investors as well to develop a framework for easier grid connection and use.[160] As of 2021, Malaysia is one of the major producers of solar panels for the international market, but paradoxically it has yet to fully capitalize on this for domestic electricity generation.[161]
Malaysia's road network is one of the most comprehensive in Asia and covers approximately 280,000 kilometres (173,984 mi).[162]
The main national road network is theMalaysian Federal Roads System, which spans over 41,930 km (26,050 mi). Most of the federal roads in Malaysia are 2-lane roads. In town areas, federal roads may become 4-lane roads to accommodate to increased traffic. Nearly all federal roads are paved withtarmac except parts of theSkudai–Pontian Highway which is paved withconcrete, while parts of theFederal Highway linkingKlang to Kuala Lumpur, is paved withasphalt.
Malaysia has approximately 5,027 kilometres (3,124 mi) of highways and the longest highway, theNorth–South Expressway, extends 772 kilometres (480 mi) on the West Coast ofPeninsular Malaysia, connecting major urban centres likeKuala Lumpur andJohor Bahru. ThePan-Borneo Highway, which connectsSabah andSarawak onBorneo Island ofEast Malaysia, is undergoing a major upgrade todual carriageway since 2015. A total of 1,663 kilometres (1,033 mi) of the road length is being reconstructed, bringing the standard of East Malaysian highways to the same level of quality of Peninsular highways.[163][164]
There is currently more than 2,900 kilometres (1,800 mi) of railway in Malaysia, 767 km (477 mi) aredouble tracked andelectrified.
Rail transport in Malaysia comprisesheavy rail (KTM),light rapid transit andmonorail (Rapid Rail), and afunicular railway line (Penang Hill Railway). Heavy rail is mostly used for intercity passenger and freight transport as well as some urban public transport, while LRTs are used for intra-city urban public transport. There twocommuter rail services linkingKuala Lumpur with theKuala Lumpur International Airport. The solemonorail line in the country is also used for public transport in Kuala Lumpur, while the only funicular railway line is inPenang. Arapid transit project, theKVMRT, is currently under construction to improve Kuala Lumpur's public transport system.
The railway network covers most of the 11 states inPeninsular Malaysia. In East Malaysia, only the state ofSabah has railways. The network is also connected to theThai railway1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) network in the north. If theBurma Railway is rebuilt, services to Myanmar, India, and China could be initiated.
Malaysia has 118 airports, of which 38 are paved. Most of the airports are managed byMalaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB). Thenational airline isMalaysia Airlines, providing international and domestic air services. Major international routes and domestic routes crossing betweenWest Malaysia andEast Malaysia are served byMalaysia Airlines andAirAsia while smaller domestic routes are supplemented by smaller airlines likeMASwings,Firefly andBerjaya Air. Major cargo airlines includeMASkargo andTransmile Air Services.
Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is the main and busiest airport of Malaysia. In 2019, it was the world's12th busiest airport by international passenger traffic, recording over 44.8 million international passengers. In 2023, it was the world's35th busiest airport by passenger traffic, recording over 47.2 million passengers. As of 2024, KLIA is the second most connected airport globally, followingLondon Heathrow Airport and precedingHaneda Airport in terms of international connectivity.[165]
Other major airports includeKota Kinabalu International Airport, which is also Malaysia's second busiest airport and busiest airport inEast Malaysia with over 9 million passengers in 2019, andPenang International Airport, with approximately 6.8 million passengers in 2023.
Malaysia is strategically located on theStrait of Malacca, one of the most important shipping lanes in the world. Boasting a highly developed maritime shipping sector, Malaysia has been ranked by UNCTAD as the fifth-best linked country in the world, in terms of shipping trade route connectivity, better than the developed economies of Germany and the Netherlands.[166]
Malaysia has 2 ports that are listed in the top 20 busiest ports in the world,Port Klang andPort of Tanjung Pelepas, which are respectively the second and third busiest ports in Southeast Asia after thePort of Singapore.
Port Klang is Malaysia's busiest port, and the12th busiest port in the world, handling over 14 millionTEUs.Port of Tanjung Pelepas is Malaysia's second busiest port, and the16th busiest port in the world, handling over 10.4 million TEUs.
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| Economy | Agreement | Abbreviation | Concluded | Signed | Effective | Legal Text |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Japan | Malaysia–Japan Economic Partnership Agreement | MJEPA | 13 December 2005 | 13 December 2005 | 13 July 2006 | [1]Archived 8 March 2022 at theWayback Machine |
 Pakistan | Malaysia–Pakistan Closer Economic Partnership Agreement | MPCEPA | 8 November 2007 | 8 November 2007 | 1 January 2008 | [2]Archived 7 February 2022 at theWayback Machine |
 New Zealand | Malaysia–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement | MNZFTA | 30 May 2009 | 26 October 2009 | 1 August 2010 | [3]Archived 26 June 2022 at theWayback Machine |
 India | Malaysia–India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement | MICECA | 18 February 2011 | 1 July 2011 | [4]Archived 4 April 2022 at theWayback Machine | |
 Chile | Malaysia–Chile Free Trade Agreement | MCFTA | May 2010 | 13 November 2010 | 25 February 2012 | [5]Archived 8 March 2022 at theWayback Machine |
 Australia | Malaysia–Australia Free Trade Agreement | MAFTA | 30 March 2012 | 1 January 2013 | [6]Archived 21 June 2022 at theWayback Machine | |
 Turkey | Malaysia–Turkey Free Trade Agreement | MTFTA | 15 January 2014 | 17 April 2014 | 1 August 2015 | [7]Archived 24 March 2022 at theWayback Machine |
 China | ASEAN–China Free Trade Agreement | ATFTA | November 2002 | 1 January 2010 | [8]Archived 11 April 2022 at theWayback Machine | |
| Japan | ASEAN–Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement | AJCEP | 14 April 2008 | 1 February 2009 | [9]Archived 11 April 2022 at theWayback Machine | |
 South Korea | ASEAN–Korea Free Trade Agreement | AKFTA | 1 January 2010 | [10]Archived 7 February 2022 at theWayback Machine | ||
| India | ASEAN–India Free Trade Agreement | AIFTA | 13 August 2009 | 1 January 2010 | [11]Archived 21 June 2022 at theWayback Machine | |
| AustraliaNew Zealand | ASEAN–Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area Agreement | AANZFTA | 27 February 2009 | 1 January 2010 | [12]Archived 17 June 2022 at theWayback Machine | |
 Hong Kong | ASEAN–Hong Kong Free Trade Agreement | AHKFTA | 12 November 2017 | 13 October 2019 | [13]Archived 11 April 2022 at theWayback Machine | |
 ASEANChinaJapanSouth KoreaAustraliaNew Zealand | Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership | RCEP | 15 November 2020 | 18 March 2022 | [14]Archived 26 November 2020 at theWayback Machine |
 | This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(April 2022) |
Malaysia's total accumulated investments in 2014 was RM235.9 billion, with 72.6 per cent (RM171.3 billion) being contributed by domestic sources and 27.4 per cent (RM64.6 billion) coming from foreign sources.[168]
According toA.T. Kearney, a global management consulting firm, Malaysia was ranked 15th in the 2014 Foreign Direct Investment Confidence Index, 9th in 2012, 16th in 2007 and 21st in 2010. The index assesses the impact of political, economic and regulatory changes on the FDI intentions and preferences of the leaders of top companies around the world.[169][170]
| Rank 2007 | Rank 2010 | Rank 2012 | Rank 2014 | Country | FDI Confidence Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 |  United States | 2.16 |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | China | 1.95 |
| – | 9 | 20 | 3 |  Canada | 1.93 |
| 4 | 10 | 8 | 4 |  United Kingdom | 1.91 |
| 6 | 4 | 3 | 5 |  Brazil | 1.91 |
| 10 | 5 | 5 | 6 |  Germany | 1.84 |
| 5 | 3 | 2 | 7 | India | 1.81 |
| 11 | 7 | 6 | 8 | Australia | 1.76 |
| 7 | 24 | 7 | 9 |  Singapore | 1.75 |
| 8 | 13 | 17 | 10 |  France | 1.74 |
| 20 | 11 | 15 | 11 |  United Arab Emirates | 1.74 |
| 19 | 8 | – | 12 |  Mexico | 1.72 |
| 18 | – | 11 | 13 |  South Africa | 1.70 |
| – | – | 22 | 14 |  Switzerland | 1.68 |
| 16 | 21 | 10 | 15 |  Malaysia | 1.65 |
| – | – | – | 16 |  Sweden | 1.64 |
| – | – | – | 17 | Chile | 1.64 |
| - | – | 24 | 18 |  Spain | 1.63 |
| – | – | 21 | 19 | Japan | 1.62 |
| – | – | – | 20 |  Italy | 1.61 |
| 12 | – | 16 | 21 |  Belgium | 1.61 |
| 6 | 6 | 23 | 22 |  Netherlands | 1.61 |
| – | – | 18 | 23 |  Denmark | 1.61 |
| 13 | – | 19 | 24 | Turkey | 1.60 |
| 18 | 23 | 13 | 25 |  Indonesia | 1.60 |
Malaysia has 1 company that rank in theFortune Global 500 ranking for 2022.[171]
| World Rank | Company | Industry | Sales ($M) | Profits ($M) | Assets ($M) | Employees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 216 | Petronas | Oil and gas | 59,873 | 10,091 | 152,498 | 46,884 |
Malaysia has 8 companies that rank in theForbes Global 2000 ranking for 2022.[172]
| World rank | Company | Industry | Sales (billion $) | Profits (billion $) | Assets (billion $) | Market value (billion $) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 485 | Maybank | Banking | 9.2 | 2.0 | 213.2 | 24.7 |
| 837 | Tenaga Nasional | Utilities | 12.7 | 0.883 | 43.8 | 11.8 |
| 751 | Public Bank Berhad | Banking | 4.5 | 1.4 | 111.1 | 21.2 |
| 895 | CIMB Group Holdings | Banking | 5.7 | 1.0 | 149.3 | 12.2 |
| 1525 | RHB Capital | Banking | 2.6 | 0.631 | 69.5 | 5.7 |
| 1641 | Hong Leong Financial Group | Business services & supplies | 1.9 | 0.567 | 66.7 | 5.1 |
| 1448 | Top Glove | Health care equipment & services | 3.6 | 1.6 | 3.1 | 10.8 |
| 1236 | Petronas Chemicals | Chemicals | 5.6 | 1.8 | 11.5 | 19.1 |
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