International Monetary Fund managing director Christine Lagarde today hailed Malaysia's long-term economic strategy aimed at catapulting the country into a high-income nation.

"I congratulated Prime Minister Najib (Abdul Razak) and his colleagues on their skillful and pragmatic economic management and continuing robust growth," Lagarde said in a statement at the conclusion of her visit to the Malaysian capital.

"I am impressed by the government's long-term economic strategy - the Economic Transformation Program - and its vision of bringing Malaysia to advanced country status by 2020," she added.

NONE Lagarde expressed confidence that Malaysia would be able to realize its targeted growth of 4 to 5 percent this year.

During her visit, Lagarde met with Najib, Central Bank governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz  ( left ) and other senior economic officials.

She met Malaysian businessmen and economists late Wednesday and stressed the need for closer economic cooperation among countries in South-East Asia for the region to weather the global economic turmoil.

"I am not talking about political integration or the kinds of monetary union we see in Europe and in various other parts of the world.

"Rather, I am talking about the broader promise of economic cooperation in two areas in particular - trade and finance," she said.

"Looking ahead, the formation of the Asean Economic Community in 2015 offers the vast possibilities of a common market," she added.

- dpa

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