BUKIT MERTAJAM: Malaysia is now just one step away from achieving high-income nation status based on the World Bank's per capita income threshold, says Datuk Seri R. Ramanan.
The Human Resources Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia's Gross National Income (GNI) per capita, measured using the World Bank Atlas method, has reached US$12,380, the highest level since independence.
He said the country's economic size, measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP), has also increased to US$472bil, also the highest value since 1957.
"For the 2027 financial year, the World Bank Atlas method sets the GNI per capita threshold for high-income nation status at US$14,376.
"Malaysia is now just one step away from achieving that status. We are not far from our goal," he said when speaking at the opening ceremony of the National Training Week (NTW) 2026 at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Permatang Pauh near here Saturday (July 25).
The event was officiated by Anwar and was also attended by Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.
Ramanan said the achievement showed that the country was on the right track, driven by the government's continuous efforts to strengthen the economy, attract investments and enhance workforce competitiveness.
Meanwhile, he said transparent fund management was crucial, as opportunities to upskill Malaysians could only be created through institutions that are strong, trusted and possess expertise in developing the nation's talent.
He said the Human Resource Development Corporation (HRD Corp) plays a vital role in advancing the country's human capital development agenda, with Penang recording more than 8,000 registered employers involving 445,792 employees.
He said that in the first half of 2026, RM129.72 million in training levy was collected in the state, while RM113.74mil was channelled back into workforce upskilling through 125,398 training programmes.
"I have always stressed that every sen of the levy entrusted by employers must be managed with the utmost integrity.
"In the first six months alone, strengthened governance enabled us to recover RM437.3mil through optimisation measures and portfolio recovery," he said.
On NTW 2026, Ramanan said the initiative provides opportunities for all segments of society, including youths, workers, homemakers and retirees, to enhance their skills and build a better future. - Bernama
