BUKIT MERTAJAM: Malaysia is on the verge of achieving high-income nation status based on the World Bank’s per capita income threshold, says Datuk Seri R. Ramanan (pic).
The Human Resources Minister said this comes after the nation’s Gross National Income (GNI) per capita, measured using the World Bank Atlas method, reached US$12,380 (RM50,640), the highest level since independence.
He noted that the country’s economic output, measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP), has also grown to US$472bil (RM1.93 trillion), the highest level 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 (RM58,805).
“Malaysia is now just one step away from achieving that status. We are not far from our goal,” he said at the opening ceremony of National Training Week 2026 yesterday, Bernama reported.
Ramanan said this was the result of the government’s continuous efforts to strengthen the economy, attract investments and enhance workforce competitiveness.
Meanwhile, Ramanan said transparent fund management was crucial, as opportunities to upskill Malaysians could only be created through institutions that are strong, trusted and equipped with the expertise to develop the nation’s talent.
He added that 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, RM129.72mil in training levy was collected in the state, while RM113.74mil was channelled back into workforce upskilling through 125,398 training programmes.
