Tech exports and project delivery show progress under NIMP
MALAYSIA is seeing strong gains in exports and industrial execution under the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030), with higher tech exports and faster delivery of approved projects, according to the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI).
Manufacturing value-added rose 4.1% year-on-year (YoY) in the first quarter (1Q25) to RM95.7 billion, while median wages in the sector increased to RM2,745.
Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz (picture) said the median wage increased by RM145 to RM2,745 compared to RM2,600 in 1Q24 for the manufacturing sector.
As part of NIMP's push to boost economic complexity, Malaysia has secured RM52 billion in advanced industry investments so far, with 23,211 potential jobs created and over 4,500 engineers trained.
Exports in targeted sectors also saw solid growth between January and May this year. Electrical and electronics (E&E) exports rose 20%, machinery and equipment by 14.6% and medical devices by 7.8%.
From 2021 to 1Q25, 86.4% of approved manufacturing projects were implemented — totalling over 3,000 projects — a move Tengku Zafrul said helps small and medium enterprises (SMEs) benefit faster from investment inflows.
'Of the total approved investments, a small number of projects may not proceed due to reasons such as changes in the company's strategic direction, but this accounts for less than 3%,' he said today.
Digital investments continue to rise, with RM310.7 billion approved since 2021, mostly in data centres.
'Every ringgit spent on data centres yields a RM6.60 return for the wider economy,' he added.
To support exporters, MITI disbursed RM15 million in Market Development Grants in the first half of 2025 (1H25), generating RM2.88 billion in export sales. Focus markets include Latin America, Africa, West Asia and ASEAN.
Malaysia also improved its global competitiveness, rising 11 places to 23rd in the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking — its best showing since 2020.
'These improvements were driven by strong export growth and market diversification,' Tengku Zafrul said.
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