KUALA LUMPUR – The country’s economic growth of 8.9% for the second quarter of this year is the best in Southeast Asia and a testament that the government has not failed as the opposition claims, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
He said the growth was contributed to by the government’s decision to reopen all economic sectors and national borders, restoring investor confidence in Malaysia.
“Since taking over the leadership, unemployment fell from 4.3% to 3.8%, almost equal to pre-pandemic levels.
“Foreign direct investment (FDI) set a record high in the fourth quarter of 2021 with RM26.7 billion followed by RM23.3 billion in the first quarter of 2022,” he said at the “Bicara Hati Perdana Menteri” session during the Wanita Barisan Nasional convention in Putra World Trade Centre here today.
The prime minister said the latest announcement of FDI inflows in the second quarter of 2022 amounting to RM24.1 billion brings FDI inflows for the nine-month period to RM74.1 billion, surpassing the total FDI in 2021, 2020, 2019, and 2018.
“So, let’s not be consumed by claims that foreign companies do not want to invest in our country,” he said. – Bernama, August 14, 2022
