MALAYSIA has made progress in several areas that may have gone unnoticed amid a turbulent year, World Bank economist Apurva Sanghi said as the country marks its 69th Merdeka Day today.
In a post on X, Sanghi highlighted developments ranging from poverty reduction in Sabah to Malaysia’s standing in Islamic tourism and open data, as well as changes to the rules governing the country’s natural resource wealth.
He began with Sabah, Malaysia’s poorest state, where he said all 10,825 households on the state’s hardcore poverty list had been removed.
Hardcore poverty refers to households whose income is insufficient to meet basic daily calorie and nutritional requirements.
Sanghi described the development as one of the quieter gains made this year, particularly against the backdrop of the wider economic and social challenges facing the country.
He also pointed to Malaysia’s position as the world’s top-ranked destination for Muslim-friendly and Islamic tourism.
Malaysia was ranked ahead of Türkiye, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other countries in the global ranking, he said.
Sanghi also noted Malaysia’s performance in open data, saying the country ranked first globally in the Open Data Inventory last year.
The ranking marked a major improvement from three years earlier, when Malaysia was placed 67th among 193 countries.
The Open Data Inventory assesses the coverage and openness of official statistics published by countries, including the availability and accessibility of key economic, social and demographic data.
Sanghi said another area of progress was the revision of rules governing the National Trust Fund (KWAN), which was set up to manage part of the wealth generated from the country’s natural resources for the benefit of future generations.
Under the updated rules, future withdrawals from KWAN are now limited to education, healthcare and climate adaptation.
The changes mean the fund’s resources cannot simply be drawn down for general spending, but are directed towards areas with long-term benefits, particularly human development and the country’s response to climate-related challenges.
Sanghi said the developments were worth highlighting even as Malaysia continued to grapple with a range of challenges.
“For sure, many challenges remain but today is a good day to appreciate some of this quieter progress,” he said.
His remarks came as Malaysians celebrate 69 years of independence, with Merdeka Day observed nationwide today. – August 31, 2026
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