Twelfth Malaysia Plan 2021-2025.

This Twelfth Malaysia Plan is a 5-year multi-sectoral national document to create ‘A Prosperous, Inclusive, Sustainable Malaysia’ by paving the way forward for comprehensive policy responses in facing the challenging situation brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The broad goal is to achieve sustainable economic growth, based on equitable wealth distribution and environmental sustainability. Aligned to the 2030 Agenda, the Twelfth Plan incorporates some of its areas, such as (i) eradicating hardcore poverty; (ii) building a peaceful, just, and inclusive society; (Iii) creating conditions for sustainable, inclusive, and sustained economic growth; (iv) providing decent work for all; (v) ensuring the protection of the environment and natural resources; (vi) promoting shared prosperity. The Plan introduces a new transformative approach based on the following three themes (1) resetting the economy; (2) strengthening security, wellbeing, and inclusivity; (3) advancing sustainability. To these are added four policy enablers that form the foundation and building blocks of Malaysia’s development and focus on (1) developing future talent; (2) accelerating technology adoption and innovation; (3) enhancing connectivity and transport infrastructure; and (4) strengthening the public service. Finally, the Plan illustrates 14 game changers that represent innovative actions to shift mindsets and change the approach to national development.
The national production shall be increased, among others, by (i) accelerating the development of high-potential industries: the services, manufacturing, agriculture, mining, and construction sectors will be rejuvenated by encouraging these sectors to move up the value chain by adopting 4IR technologies, digitalization and the green economy; (ii) adopting smart farming activities as well as precision tools, such as drones, robotics, and sensors; (iii) developing agricultural machinery and equipment to suit local conditions, such as terrain features, weather, and crop requirements; (iv) expanding smart indoor vertical farming or plant factory; (v) encouraging farmers to adopt organic farming practices in meeting the increasing demand for organic products and generating higher income.
In the field of food and nutrition, the Plan envisages the following (i) invigoration of the agriculture sector to enhance food security; (ii) support for strategies and initiatives under the National Food Security Framework and the National Agrofood Policy 2021-2030 to meet food self-sufficiency targets and comply with international food safety standards; (iii) intensification of efforts to combat NCDs through awareness programs on a healthy lifestyle covering a wider population; (iv) digitalization of healthcare services and development of a food composition database to provide information on food safety, ingredients composition and nutrition content; (v) increasing the accessibility of early childhood programs for children from urban poor households and promote a balanced nutrient intake to address malnutrition issues among children.
The environmental protection is a core instrument of growth and will be pursued by (i) the application of instruments based on the user-pay and polluter-pay principles to minimize environmental pollution and prevent ecosystems damage; (ii) green growth through the whole-of-nation approach by leveraging green technology as well as sustainable consumption and production practices, whilst addressing climate change and conserving natural resources; (iii) transition to circular economy in all the concerned sectors to enable a systemic shift to generate more sustainable and responsible businesses and investments, create new economic opportunities and expand the green market, as well as to reduce waste generation, pollution, GHG emissions and dependency on natural resources; (iv) efficient management of the energy sector through the formulation of a comprehensive policy; (v) adoption of the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) as a starting point in transforming the sector to ensure reliable and safe water supply whilst ensuring that the natural resource is protected, conserved, and utilized sustainably; (vi) instilling sense of ownership and shared responsibility in environmental protection, biodiversity conservation and disaster risk reduction; (vii) promotion of conservation and protection of the natural capital, including measures for coastal and Marine Areas.
A more inclusive economic and social growth envisages (i) the creation of a conducive and holistic ecosystem to support entrepreneurs and enterprises, as well as expansion of market access and international trade opportunities to enable MSMEs to be global, export-oriented and innovation-driven players; (ii) poverty alleviation and the elimination of hardcore poverty through specific and targeted programs, irrespective of gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and location, including the establishment of dedicated poverty units at the Federal and district levels; (iii) reduction of the rural and urban development gap by allocating Federal Government funds giving attention to the less developed states to promote regional inclusion, including the provision of better infrastructure and connectivity, as well as improved access to social services and enhancement of defense and public safety; (iv) in the area of marine fishery, encouragement of cooperatives and associations to venture into deep sea and high sea fishing utilizing modern vessels and innovative equipment to enhance competitiveness as well as promote a sustainable fishing industry; (v) promotion of agricultural cooperatives and associations to facilitate farmers in adopting smart farming and environment-friendly farming practices; (vi) encouraging farmers to leverage eCommerce platforms to facilitate direct sales and enhance traceability of agricultural products.