Malaysia Could Join World’s Top 30 Economies, Says Abdul Wahid

KUALA LUMPUR, AUGUST 2026 — Malaysia has the potential to become one of the world’s 30 largest economies if it can sustain nominal gross domestic product growth that exceeds other countries by at least two percentage points annually, according to Tan Sri Abdul Wahid Omar.

Abdul Wahid said Malaysia is currently ranked 35th globally, while the United Arab Emirates, which occupies the 30th position, has an economy about 20% larger than Malaysia’s.

He said the gap is still achievable, but Malaysia will need to grow faster than economies currently ranked ahead of it because those countries will continue expanding as well.

At the same time, emerging economies that currently rank below Malaysia, including the Philippines and Bangladesh, are also seeking faster growth, adding to competition for a higher position in the global economic rankings.

Abdul Wahid said Malaysia therefore needs to outperform the nominal growth rates of other economies by at least two percentage points if it wants to move into 30th place or higher.

Malaysia’s economy is currently performing relatively well despite global challenges, with real economic growth of around 5% and nominal growth of approximately 7%.

However, Abdul Wahid stressed that the current momentum must be maintained over the longer term if the country is to achieve its top-30 ambition.

Nominal GDP measures the total value of goods and services produced at current market prices and is influenced by factors including real economic growth, inflation and broader market conditions.

Abdul Wahid said reaching the target would also require Malaysia to continue introducing appropriate economic policies capable of attracting higher levels of investment from both foreign and domestic sources.

Stronger investment could help expand productive capacity, improve business activity and create more opportunities across the economy.

Maintaining investor confidence will also be important as Malaysia competes with other emerging markets for capital and long-term economic opportunities.

Abdul Wahid currently serves as chairman of Cypark Resources Bhd, IOI Corporation Bhd, WWF-Malaysia and MySDG Foundation. He is also co-chairman of Sunway Bhd and pro-chancellor of Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia.

He made the remarks during the second Wisdom Malaysia Conference 2026 in Kuala Lumpur.

The conference, organised by Kerjaya One PLT, brought together current and former industry leaders to share knowledge, experience and perspectives with established and emerging leaders as well as professional groups.

The event featured sessions on leadership, judgement skills and transformation case studies, along with question-and-answer sessions and networking opportunities aimed at providing practical insights to participants.

Malaysia’s ambition to enter the world’s top 30 economies reflects a broader effort to strengthen its global competitiveness and economic standing.

Achieving the target will ultimately depend on whether the country can maintain stronger nominal growth than its peers while continuing to attract investment and manage external economic challenges.