KOTA KINABALU: Sabah will not be overlooked as Malaysia strives to achieve developed nation status as early as 2027, said Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli.
Speaking at the 13th Malaysia Plan stakeholder's engagement session, he said with strategic planning and collaboration, Malaysia could officially be recognised as a developed nation by 2028 or 2029, possibly even earlier if economic growth accelerates.
"If Malaysia becomes a developed nation by 2028, I can imagine Sabah politicians will have a headache (as they are to be questioned by the people, saying), 'How can we call ourselves a developed country when we still lack basic necessities like water?
"For us, becoming a developed nation in three to four years means we need to balance and ensure that this status is reflected not only in better infrastructure but also in improved living standards, higher incomes, and most importantly, a mindset and resilience aligned with a developed society," he said.
Rafizi added that the importance of ensuring that developed nation status should be translated into tangible improvements for all states, including Sabah.
He said achieving this goal would require the collective effort of all Malaysians, adding that careful planning during the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) would pave the way for a brighter and more hopeful future for the younger generation.
Meanwhile, despite the positive outlook of becoming a developed nation, Rafizi warned that Malaysia needs to undertake a transition that is far more challenging than previous ones.
"We must shift from an economy reliant on our old assets — land, labour, and competitive advantages such as English proficiency and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) knowledge.
"However, our labour is not the cheapest or the most competitive, and our growth in STEM skills and technology lags behind the rapid advancements made by competing nations.
"If we do not take drastic action in the next four to five years, we risk falling further behind, making it even harder to catch up. This is especially critical as we aim to leap from an upper middle-income country to a developed nation.
"Achieving this requires us to move beyond reliance on commodities and low costs, transforming into an economy driven by innovation, content creation, and ideas marketed to the world," he said, adding that Vietnam and Indonesia are growing rapidly in education, availability of cheap labour and advanced technology as compared to Malaysia.
Present were Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya and state Community Development and People's Wellbeing Minister Datuk James Ratib.