Malaysian ambassador Dato' Tan Yang Thai wrote to Việt Nam News on the occasion of Malaysia's 66th National Day and 60th Malaysia Day.

Malaysia will be celebrating 66 years of independence this year on August 31, 2023 and soon after, Malaysia Day on September 16, 2023. Both days are significant for Malaysia and her citizens, as August 31 marks independence from colonial rule, while September 16 marks the date when the peninsular states of Malaya merged with Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore to form Malaysia in 1963. This year the National Day celebrations will be held on August 31 in Putrajaya while Malaysia Day celebrations will be held on September 16 in Kuching, Sarawak. The theme for the celebrations – “Malaysia Madani: Determination in Unity, Fulfilling Hope”, rallies Malaysians to strengthen the spirit of unity in facing various challenges together, to achieve the shared aspirations for a stronger and more successful Malaysia.

Over the past decades, a key factor in the continued growth of the country has been Malaysia’s ability to attract quality investment. Currently Malaysia is one of the top countries in emerging Southeast Asia for foreign investment, the second most competitive country in ASEAN, the third most innovative upper middle-income economy in the world and fourth most competitive emerging market. On top of these impressive rankings, Malaysia is an ideal investment destination due to supportive government policies, well-developed infrastructure, a dynamic business environment, an educated workforce, IP protection, and a sound banking system.

Petronas Twin Towers lights up Kuala Lumpur's skyline. Photo Izuddin Helmi Adnan

For the year 2023, some positive economic indicators for the year so far include inflation falling from 2.8 per cent in May to 2.4 per cent in June 2023, and unemployment reaching a new post-pandemic low of 3.4 percent in June 2023, a decrease from the 3.5 per cent registered in May 2023. For the second quarter of 2023, domestic demand has buttressed the Malaysian economy against the backdrop of cooling global trade. Despite the global economic challenges, Malaysia’s economy remains resilient, and the government is confident of meeting the gross domestic product (GDP) forecast of between 4.0 per cent to 5.0 per cent growth.

In order to further set out strategies and measures to restructure Malaysia’s economy and deliver inclusive development, the Government is set to release a number of policy documents – the New Industrial Plan 2030, the 12th Malaysia Plan Mid-term Review and Budget 2024. The focus areas will include improving the ease of doing business, promoting quality investments to generate higher income jobs, ensuring good governance and investing in better public services and infrastructure towards improving the quality of life for citizens.

A key industry for Malaysia is tourism, and post pandemic, Malaysia is set to welcome ever increasing numbers of tourists to our beautiful shores. Boasting scenic landscapes, rainforests dating back over 130 million years, modern vibrant cosmopolitan cities offering shoppers paradise and a culinary diversity borne from its multicultural communities – these are only some of the charming attractions that await tourists visiting Malaysia, truly Asia!

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (second from left) and Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính together with their spouses during the Malaysian leader’s visit to Việt Nam in July 2023. VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

In addition to being a tourism destination of choice, Malaysia also aspires to become an educational hub for international students to further their studies. Malaysia offers widely-recognised programmes, with 20 of its higher education institutions being listed in the QS World University Rankings 2023. On top of this, Malaysia is able to offer reasonable costs in many areas including tuition fees, food, travelling and transportation. Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysa, is ranked #1 in Southeast Asia in the Affordability indicator, according to the QS Best Student Cities 2023.

As Malaysia celebrates its 66th National Day and 60th Malaysia Day this year, another meaningful milestone is also being commemorated in the form of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with Vietnam. Our countries enjoy a long-standing friendship with excellent cooperation in many areas, not least exemplified in the numerous high–level visits over the years. A recent example was the successful visit by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in July this year, preceded closely by the 7th Joint Commission Meeting on Economic, Scientific and Technology Cooperation co-chaired by the Foreign Ministers of Malaysia and Việt Nam.

The close relations between Malaysia and Việt Nam have been achieved through unwavering commitment from both sides to strengthen bilateral relations. While there is much to be proud of and thankful for, we also look forward with resolute determination to continue working closely together for future success.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all Malaysians and friends of Malaysia in Việt Nam ‘Happy National Day’. — VNS