Malaysia has achieved a remarkable leap in global competitiveness, climbing 11 positions to 23rd place in the World Competitiveness Ranking 2025 - marking the country's strongest performance since 2020 and representing the largest advancement among ASEAN nations.
The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry highlighted that Malaysia now ranks fourth globally in economic performance, improving from eighth place last year, while both government efficiency and business efficiency factors surged by eight positions each.
According to Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, this significant improvement reflects how the government's bureaucracy-related reforms under the MADANI framework are effectively facilitating robust investment and industrial growth across the nation.
The Institute for Management Development's annual ranking recognized Malaysia's strengthened international trade performance, which jumped 11 spots to sixth place globally, driven by strong export growth, market diversification, and increased tourism receipts that bolstered the country's trade surplus.
This upward trajectory positions Malaysia on track to achieve its ambitious target of becoming one of the world's top 12 most competitive economies by 2033, supported by over 1,000 bureaucratic reform projects coordinated through the National Competitiveness Committee and implemented via the Special Taskforce on Agency Reform.
