The World Bank Group supports efforts by the government of Malaysia to implement reforms and become an inclusive, high-income country. Highlights of these efforts over the past 10 years include the following:

• Economic growth: The World Bank contributed to Malaysia’s COVID-19 recovery, tax reforms, and digital service taxation. It supported the National Investment Aspirations and the New Industrial Master Plan and co-developed the National Ageing and Workforce Human Capital Development Blueprints. It informed the 12th Malaysia Plan mid-term review and the upcoming 13th Plan, through research on inequality and mobility.
• Sustainable and Islamic finance: The World Bank provided technical input for the Value-based Impact Assessment Framework (VBIAF), helped pilot the Greening Halal Businesses program, and supported Malaysia’s pioneering green sukuk market. It advised on the Sustainable and Responsible Investment (SRI) taxonomy and contributed to the Climate Data Catalogue and nature-related risk assessments. Its recommendations shaped the 2023–26 financial inclusion framework. Malaysia shared its expertise in Islamic finance at the 2024 Global Forum on Islamic Economics & Finance (GEFIEF) and in green sukuk workshops with countries such as Indonesia and Saudi Arabia.
• Institutions and governance: The World Bank advised the government on modernization of tax administration; governance of state-owned enterprises; and public financial management of Sarawak, the country’s largest state. It conducted a Climate Change Institutional Assessment at both the federal and state levels.
• Capacity building: The World Bank hosted seminars on pensions, tax expenditure, behavioral insights, inequality, and labor market analysis. It also supported innovation policy and discussions of employee compensation.
• Knowledge sharing: Forums included study tours with Saudi Arabia’s labor observatory, the Global Green Finance Leadership Program, and the ASEAN SEEDS webinars.
• Private sector investments: IFC strengthened its footprint in Malaysia, committing (inclusive of capital mobilized from other lenders and investors) a total of about $1.4 billion across sectors such as data infrastructure, integrated circuit manufacturing, and private equity.