KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 25): The 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) must introduce a strategic roadmap for a five-year recovery plan which includes structural reforms in government as well as the private sector, says Research for Social Advancement (REFSA).
“The roadmap needs to address issues of low growth and low productivity, low wages, and an unreliable social safety net, just to name a few,” said the think-tank.
“This kind of policy restructuring and alignment needs to be extended to all ministries and their agencies as well as GLICs and GLCs for the ultimate goal of sustainable and inclusive economic growth,” it said.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob will table the 12MP in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday (Sept 27).
In a wishlist for the plan, former International Trade and Industry Minister Dr Ong Kian Ming, together with REFSA economic researchers Frederik Paulus and Jaideep Singh cited eight areas that needed to be looked into.
The eight areas are:
“While not all of our wishlist items will make their way into the 12MP, it is important to keep discussions on these issues ongoing among policymakers, industry players and other stakeholders,” said Ong, Paulus and Jaideep.
“With more substantive discussions and publications of policy positions and papers, backed up with concrete examples of what works and what does not, especially within the domestic socio-economic-political landscape, we can slowly but surely move forward the policy agenda and increase the likelihood that good policies become part of government policy and are implemented in a transparent and effective manner,” they added.