KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is closely watching for potential changes that may impact global and local economies following Donald Trump’s win in the United States (US) presidential election. Economy Minister Mohd Rafizi Ramli said that while the government is awaiting new policy announcements from Washington, it remains prepared to assess and adapt to any developments that could influence Malaysia’s economic landscape.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Rafizi expressed that any country with significant economic ties to the US would naturally conduct due diligence to understand the implications of a change in US administration on their local economy and governance. “I think while we will wait for the next few announcements, we will observe how the Trump administration impacts the global economy and ours,” he stated to reporters after attending a 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) industry engagement session.
The minister emphasized the importance of Malaysia being nimble and agile to respond to geopolitical changes arisin
g from a new administration, not only in the US but among other major trading partners as well. He noted that Malaysia’s plans, particularly in sectors like semiconductors and energy transition, are largely driven by domestic needs and are structurally necessary for strengthening the country’s industrial and economic robustness.
In addition to monitoring international developments, Rafizi highlighted the 13MP’s initiatives aimed at establishing Malaysia as a global leader in the data centre ecosystem. During the industry session with stakeholders from electronics, aerospace, and automotive sectors, he articulated a vision to elevate Malaysia’s role beyond just hosting capacity, aspiring to integrate into the entire data centre value chain.
Rafizi underscored Malaysia’s ongoing efforts to attract data centres and the need to engage in higher value segments of the ecosystem. The ministry is working on strategic interventions to build this ecosystem, with the goal of fully integrating Malaysia into the data ce
ntre value chain by the end of the decade.
He also mentioned that the 13MP preparation involves engagement sessions with state governments and strategic industries to ensure comprehensive input and alignment with national goals. The 13MP is scheduled to be tabled in Parliament on July 3, 2025.