Economy overview: GDP grew by 8.6% in 2000 mainly due to double-digit export growth rates and the government’s continued fiscal stimulus policy. As an oil exporter, Malaysia has also benefited from high oil prices. Rising export earnings allowed the country to run a trade surplus, but foreign exchange reserves fell from a peak of $34.5 billion in April 2000 to $29.7 billion in December as foreign investors pulled their funds out of the country. Despite this development of events, Kuala Lumpur is unlikely to abandon fixing its currency in the near future. A slowdown in the economic growth of major Western markets, especially the US, and lower global demand for electronics will slow down GDP growth to 3-6% in 2001 (according to independent experts). As for the longer term, Malaysia’s failure to make significant progress on key reforms in the corporate and financial sectors calls into question the possibility of continued sustainable growth and the return of foreign investors. 11GDP: Purchasing Power Parity $223.7 billion (2000 est.). Real GDP growth rate: 8.6% (2000 est.). GDP per capita: at purchasing power parity – $10,300 (2000 est.). The composition of GDP by sectors of the economy: agriculture: 14%; industry: 44%; services: 42% (2000). Proportion of population below the poverty line: 6.8% (1997 est.). Percentage distribution of family income or consumption: per 10% of the poorest families: 1.4%; top 10% of families: 20.4% (1997 est.). Inflation rate at consumer prices: 1.7% (2000). Labor force: 9.6 million people (2000 est.). Employment structure: local trade and tourism 28%, industry 27%, agriculture, forestry and fishing 16%, services 10%, civil service 10%, construction 9% (2000 est.). Unemployment rate: 2.8% (2000 est.). Budget: revenues: $16.4 billion; expenditures: $17.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $4.3 billion (2000 est.). Spheres of economy: Peninsular Malaysia – production and processing of rubber and palm oil, light industry, electronics production, mining and smelting of tin, logging and woodworking industry; Sabah – logging, oil production; Sarawak – food industry, oil extraction and processing, logging. Growth in industrial production: 12.1% (2000 est.). Power generation: 59.044 billion kWh (1999). Sources of electricity generation: fossil fuels: 91.61%; hydropower: 8.39%; nuclear fuel: 0%; others: 0% (1999). Electricity consumption: 54.872 billion kWh (1999) Electricity export: 50 million kWh (1999). Electricity import: 11 million kWh (1999). Agricultural products: Peninsular Malaysia – rubber, palm oil, cocoa, rice; Sabah – rubber, wood, coconuts, rice; Sarawak – rubber, pepper, forest. Export: $97.9 billion (2000 est.) Exports: electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas, chemicals, palm oil, wood and wood products, rubber, textiles. Export partners: USA 21%, Singapore 18%, Japan 13%, Hong Kong 5%, Netherlands 4%, Taiwan 4%, Thailand 3% (2000 est.). Imports: $82.6 billion (2000 est.) Import articles: machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs, fuels and lubricants. Import partners: Japan 21%, USA 17%, Singapore 14%, Taiwan 6%, South Korea 5%, Thailand 4%, China 4% (2000 est.). External debt: $41.8 billion (2000 est.) Economic aid donor: Currency: ringgit. Currency code: MYR. Exchange rate: MYR/USD – 3.8000 (January 2001), 3.8000 (2000), 3.8000 (1999), 3.9244 (1998), 2.8133 (1997), 2.5159 (1996). Fiscal year: calendar year.
Telecommunications
Telecommunications Telephone lines: 4.5 million (1999). Mobile cell phones: 2.698 million (1999) Telephone system: modern system; excellent international communication; domestic: good long-distance communication in peninsular Malaysia is carried out mainly by means of microwave radio relay; a satisfactory microwave radio relay system between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; local satellite system with 2 ground stations; international: connection via submarine cable to India, Hong Kong and Singapore; satellite earth stations – 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean). Broadcast stations: AM – 56, FM -31 (and 13 repeaters), shortwave – 5 (1999). Radio receivers: 10.9 million (1999). Television broadcast stations: 27 (and 15 high power repeaters) (1999). Televisions: 10.8 million (1999) Internet country code: my Internet providers: 7 (2000). Number of users: 1.5 million (2000).
Transport
Transport Railways: total length: 1,801 km; narrow gauge: 1,801 km (1,000 m gauge) (148 km electrified) (2000). Roads: total length: 64,672 km; paved: 48,707 km (including 1,192 km of motorways); unpaved: 15,965 km; note: along with these national and regional roads, Malaysia has thousands of kilometers of local roads managed by local authorities (1999). Waterways: 7,296 km (Malaysia Peninsula – 3,209 km, Sabah -1,569 km, Sarawak – 2,518 km). Pipelines: for crude oil -1,307 km; for natural gas – 379 km. Ports and harbours: Bintulu, Kota Kinabalu, Kuan Tan, Kuching, Kudat, Labuan, Lahad Datu, Lumut, Miri, Pasir Gudang, Penang, Port Dickson, Port Kelang, Sandakan, Sibu, Tanjung Berhala, Tan Jung Kidurong, Tawau. Merchant fleet: total: 362 sunas (displacement 1,000 tons or more) with a total displacement of 5,103,657 gross register tons / 7,574,999 long tons gross tonnage; ships of various types: bulk carriers – 62, cargo ships – 110, chemical tankers – 35, container ships – 60, liquefied gas tankers – 20, livestock ships – 1, passenger ships – 2, oil tankers – 58, ships – refrigerators – 1, ferries – 6, specialized tankers – 1, cargo ships for transportation – 6 (2000 est.). Airports: 115 (2000 est.). Airports with paved runways: total: 33; over 3,047 m: 5; from 2438 to 3047 m: 4; from 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11; from 914 to 1523 m:6; less than 914 m: 7 (2000 est.). Airports with unpaved runways: total: 82; from 1524 to 2437 m:1; from 914 to 1523 m:8; less than 914 m: 73 (2000 est.). Helipads: 1 (2000 est.).
Armed Forces
Branches of the Armed Forces: Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy, Royal Malaysian Air Force, Royal Malaysian Police, Maritime Police, Sarawak Border Scouts. See militarynous.com to know more about Malaysia Military. Conscription age: 21 years old. Total Military Manpower: Male 15 to 49: 5,800,456 (2001 est.). Eligible for military service: men aged 15 to 49: 3,514,023 (2001 est.). Number of persons reaching military age each year: male: 196,042 (2001 est.). Military spending in dollar terms: $1.69 billion (2000 est.) Military spending as part of GDP: 2.03% (2000)
International Issues
International issues International disputes: Malaysia is involved in a multilateral dispute over the ownership of the Spratly Islands with China, the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam (possibly Brunei’s participation in the dispute); The Philippines has not fully relinquished claims to the state of Sabah; dispute with Singapore over the ownership of the island of Pedra Branca; dispute with Indonesia over ownership of the islands of Sipadan and Li-gitan. Illicit drugs: transit point for some illegal drugs; the drug trade is mercilessly pursued and severely punished.
