Here are some of the salient points in the 9th Malaysia Plan launched today by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Economic restructuring

RM600 million Strategic Investment Fund to promote investments in new growth areas.

Industrial Adjustment Fund will assist industries facing intense competition from the liberalisation measures under Afta and other FTAs.

Malaysia aims to be Global Islamic Financial Hub including the establishment of the International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance.

Technology

RM150 million content fund to support local digital content development.

400 percent increase (RM2 billion) allocated under various funds for development of the biotechnology industry.

Agriculture

Government prioritises agriculture, increasing allocation by 60 percent to RM11.4 billion.

SMEs

New Services Sector Development Fund for small and medium enterprises.

Employment

Employment growth will slow from 1.6 million new jobs to 1.1 million new jobs under 9MP.

Graduates to out number graduate employment opportunities 3:1. Only 33 percent of graduates may find graduate level employment.

Foreign workers

Foreign labour grew by 18.8 percent over the last five years, now stands at 15.7 percent of the workforce.

Research and development

New focus on science and innovation. ScienceFund and Technofund allocated RM 1.5 billion each, to promote R&D and commercialisation of R&D respectively.

Poverty eradication

Government to spend RM 4.4 billion on poverty eradication and RM7 billion on restructuring.

30 percent bumiputera and 3 percent Indian equity ownership targets maintained, but target date moved from 2010 to 2020. No new strategies to increase Indian equity ownership.

The Poverty Line Income has been redefined to take into account household size, demographic composition, and location. Rural poverty now stands at close to 12 percent, highest in Sabah followed by Terengganu.

Inequality

Inequality worsened over the last five years, highest among bumiputera, as compared to Chinese and Indians.

Government plans to increase the income share of the bottom 40 percent from 13.5 percent to 20 percent while reducing the income share of top 20 percent from 51.2 percent to 40 percent.

Housing

RM 233 million allocated for construction of houses for the hardcore poor and RM 400 million provided for projects in traditional and new villages.

Local government

All local authorities to adopt Local Agenda 21 and a Malaysian Sustainable Development Indicators will be development.

Index on states

Government introduces Development Composite Index made up of 16 indicators to measure development. Selangor ranks fourth behind Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Melaka.

Transportation

RM46 billion allocated for transport projects, out of which RM17 billion for roads and RM1.5 billion for urban transport.

Klang Valley Public Transport commission to be established with the objective of increasing public transport usage from 16 percent to 30 percent by 2010.

Water

Policy of delivery of water services by licensed private organisations maintained.

Electricity

Consumers to pay more for electricity as subsidies to be reduced.

Public health

Ratio of public health facilities to population worsens.

Culture and sports

RM 442 million allocated for cultural, arts and heritage programs and RM 620 million for development of sports.

Tourism

Development expenditure for tourism doubles to RM2.4 billion in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2007.

Anti-corruption

Integrity Institute of Malaysia to lead in fight against corruption. A National Integrity Index is being developed.

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