13MP Implementation A Priority Amid Geopolitical Uncertainties In 2026 -- Akmal Nasrullah
PUTRAJAYA, Jan 8 (Bernama) -- Malaysia stays the course on the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) implementation to weather the economic challenges of 2026 amid rising global geopolitical uncertainties, said Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Nasir.
He said that this year, geopolitical uncertainties pose challenges that must be taken into account, while most players are still assessing the impact of recent developments involving the United States and Venezuela, including their implications for the global economy.
“I think everyone is still waiting to see the impact from that event, and I think most people are still trying to figure out the repercussions from such events.
“But definitely, for our ministry, the focus is to ensure the five-year plan -- the 13MP -- will take place, and we must focus on the execution,” he told reporters after attending the 2026 Economy Minister’s Mandate event here today.
Commenting on whether the Ministry of Economy and Petroliam Nasional Bhd would continue to monitor the situation in Venezuela, given its long-term impact, Akmal Nasrullah said that the geopolitical developments -- involving the instability in oil and natural resource prices -- are indeed being monitored.
“Everyone is monitoring, as this is something that needs to be evaluated. Geopolitics is a challenge that we have to face in 2026,” he said.
Akmal Nasrullah said the ministry's focus is to ensure the country's economic foundations continue to be strengthened via the implementation of the government's long-term development plan.
“We need to concentrate on bolstering economic delivery, whether via government plans such as the 13MP, as well as ensuring that all other plans that have been formulated, such as the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone, the National Energy Transition Roadmap and others, are implemented,” he said.
Responding to a question about the priorities of small projects under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s agenda, Akmal Nasrullah said his ministry does not view projects solely based on a list, but rather based on the targets and objectives to be achieved.
“The ministry sees the five-year plan as not just based on a list of projects, (but on) targets and objectives that we are trying to achieve. From those targets, we identify initiatives and then organise projects,” he said.
He said the government places great emphasis on small-scale projects to ensure the rakyat benefits greatly from them.
“Therefore, in ensuring the implementation of projects arranged by the government, we not only look at high-impact projects, but also ensure that the results can be felt by all levels of society," he said.
Referring to the recent flood disaster, Akmal Nasrullah said small projects, including infrastructure repair work, would be important and require the cooperation of several parties to ensure they are not delayed.
“We don’t want just a start or an announcement. We need to ensure implementation, because when talking about implementation, we need understanding and cooperation from multiple agencies,” he said.
-- BERNAMA