Senior Minister of International Trade and Industry, Azmin Ali said the 5% economic growth recorded in Q1 this year is an indication that the country’s economic performance will continue to improve.

“This is due to the policies and programmes initiated by (former Prime Minister) Muhyiddin Yassin to expedite the country’s vaccination programme, and now, more than 98.5% of Malaysia’s adult population has been vaccinated, allowing the country to reopen its borders.

“Consequently, external demand has been increasing, so local companies, including small and medium enterprises, need to increase their productivity to meet external demand,” he told reporters.

He said the ministry of international trade and industry, together with the Malaysian Investment Development Authority and the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation will continue to strive to attract investments that will create quality employment opportunities for Malaysians. The government will also continue to ensure that investors remain confident in the country’s business environment and ecosystem.

He added that the country’s economy is on the right track to recover from the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, emphasising that the government needs some time to ensure all recovery programmes are running smoothly.

Prioritising economic recovery, Azmin said he has refused calls to hold the 15th General Election in the near future.

“We must prioritise the country’s economic interest and the people’s interests to ensure sustainable growth for the future,” he added.