Medan: Malaysia is committed to strengthening regional cooperation in the field of renewable energy and connectivity as an effort to expand economic opportunities at the sub-regional level of ASEAN, said Minister of Economy Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir. He highlighted the potential of sub-regional approaches like the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) to enhance economic potential among member countries through more structured and effective plans.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Akmal Nasrullah stated that Malaysia acknowledges the implementation carried out for the current blueprint until 2026 and is planning the next phase from 2027 to 2031, leading towards the IMT-GT Vision 2036. These remarks were made during a press conference at the 32nd IMT-GT Ministerial Meeting in Medan, Indonesia, chaired by Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartanto and attended by Thailand's Vice Minister for Office of the Prime Minister Dr Thanadit Raktabutr.
One of the main focuses of Malaysia's commitment includes strengthening the renewable energy sector through initiatives such as the ASEAN Power Grid and enhancing physical connectivity between Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand. Akmal Nasrullah also pointed out the importance of fully utilizing the close geographical proximity between Kuala Lumpur and Medan to accelerate economic integration.
Furthermore, Akmal Nasrullah emphasized the significance of sustainability and digital agendas as new growth drivers, including expanding opportunities in the green economy in the sub-region. He also expressed Malaysia's readiness to host the IMT-GT meeting in September 2027 in Langkawi.
In a joint statement, the ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the IMT-GT Vision 2036, aiming to create an integrated, innovative, inclusive, and sustainable subregion. They acknowledged the need to strengthen resilience and capacity to respond to external disruptions amid geopolitical uncertainties and growing trade fragmentation.
The ministers also recognized artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation as strategic enablers of productivity, innovation, and competitiveness. They expressed their commitment to deepening cooperation across three Focus Areas - Agriculture and Agro-based Industry, Tourism, and Halal Products and Services - supported by five Enabler Focus Areas to strengthen resilience and promote shared prosperity.
The joint statement further highlighted achievements under the IMT-GT Implementation Blueprint (IB) 2022-2026, particularly in GDP per capita, foreign direct investment (FDI), and international visitor arrivals, which surpassed the 2026 targets. GDP per capita increased from 21,646 current PPP$ in 2024 to 23,290 in 2025, while total trade in goods rose from US$708 billion to US$810.8 billion. FDI inflows increased from US$27.52 billion to US$28.44 billion, and the unemployment rate declined from 3.8 percent to 3.7 percent, reflecting the subregion's economic resilience.
To address remaining gaps, the ministers emphasized that the IB 2027-2031 should be anchored on three strategic goals - Economic Resilience, Integrated Networks, and Shared Prosperity - supported by stronger institutional coordination, stakeholder engagement, and robust monitoring and evaluation towards the achievement of Vision 2036.