SHAH ALAM: The 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) will focus on collaborative efforts between states and federal governments to bridge the socio-economic and development gaps according to states and regions, said the Minister of Economy Rafizi Ramli.

He said this aligns with the aspirations of the MADANI government, which aims to balance the focus on economic development and the public’s desires regarding the welfare and quality of the ordinary citizens throughout the five years of the national development plan.

“We hope that efforts to close the socio-economic and development gaps by state and region can be carried out collaboratively, as the burden of advancing the economy is often placed entirely on the federal government because allocations must come from the federal level.

“The intention is to ensure that there are no significant gaps because we know that becoming a developed country is not measured solely by economic figures but also by (how the government provides) for the welfare and quality of life for ordinary citizens,” he said.

He spoke to reporters after attending the 13MP engagement session with the Selangor state government, officiated by Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, here, today.

Selangor is the first state to host the engagement session, divided into state governments, economic and industry players, and the public, to gather ideas and perspectives regarding the country’s five-year development planning.

Rafizi noted that 13MP is crucial because if the economic projections perform well within the time frame, it will be the document through which Malaysia can achieve the high-income nation status.

For this to happen, he said trivial matters and petty politicking must be set aside so that each state can present ideas and plans through different initiatives, allowing the proposals to be accepted and developed by the ministry and included in the document.

He assured that the document differs in vision, direction, and planning compared to the previous Malaysia Plan, adding that it is scheduled to be tabled in Parliament in July 2025.

“The process that begins today is crucial and will continue until 14 states are completed. With a tight timeline, we hope to present a draft outlining the country’s major decisions or aspirations to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“The 13MP document will be finalised...by April 2025, followed by the approval process at the Cabinet level before being tabled in Parliament,” he added.