PRIME MINISTER Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has firmly dismissed claims that large-scale investments in Malaysia have not borne fruit, stressing that the benefits are clearly evident in the manufacturing sector through job creation, wage growth, and value-added output.
“They say, ‘billions in investment, but where are the results? There is nothing to show’. In reality, 86 per cent of the approved projects are already operational,” he said during his address at the Prime Minister’s Department (PMO) monthly assembly.
According to Anwar, between 2021 and June 2025, the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) approved 3,494 manufacturing investment projects, of which 3,095—or 86.4 per cent—have been successfully implemented and are now in operation.
He cited annual implementation rates of 90.6 per cent in 2023 and 79.2 per cent in 2024, while the rate for the first quarter of 2025 stood at 49.8 per cent.
Anwar also directed the Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, to continue publicising these achievements and to highlight the locations of the operational projects across Kulim, Johor, Sarawak, Sabah, and the Klang Valley.
He said the majority of the implemented projects are focused on the digital and green manufacturing sectors.
The Prime Minister further noted that 50,000 new jobs in the manufacturing industry were created in the first quarter of 2025. Over the same period, the sector’s median wage rose by 5.4 per cent to RM2,745, up from RM2,600 the previous year. This increase aligns with the recently implemented minimum wage of RM1,700.
Since the launch of the Invest Malaysia Facilitation Centre (IMFC) in December 2023, a total of 28,166 investor applications have been facilitated, with a resolution rate of 99.9 per cent. These applications covered approvals, permits, foreign worker quotas, utilities, and tax matters.
“This shows the role of the civil service machinery in carrying out its duties. It is not just about what I announce. When the civil service plays its part efficiently and effectively, we must acknowledge and recognise it,” Anwar said.Anwar highlighted that the implementation of these projects had created 50,000 new job opportunities in the manufacturing sector in the first quarter of 2025.
During the same period, the median wage in the manufacturing sector increased by 5.4 per cent to RM2,745, compared to RM2,600 last year, in line with the implementation of the new minimum wage of RM1,700.
The prime minister also noted that since the establishment of the Invest Malaysia Facilitation Centre (IMFC) in December 2023, a total of 28,166 investor applications had been facilitated, with a 99.9 per cent resolution rate.
These applications covered various matters, including approvals, permits, foreign worker quotas, utilities, and taxation.
“This shows the role of the civil service machinery in carrying out its duties. It is not just about what I announce. When the civil service plays its part efficiently and effectively, we must acknowledge and recognise it,” he said. - July 21, 2025
