least developed countries. The economy is predominately agricultural
with about 80% of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture,
which has benefited from fertilizer subsidies since 2006, accounts
for more than one-third of GDP and 90% of export revenues. The
performance of the tobacco sector is key to short-term growth as
tobacco accounts for more than half of exports. The economy depends
on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the
World Bank, and individual donor nations. In 2006, Malawi was
approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC)
program. In December 2007, the US granted Malawi eligibility status
to receive financial support within the Millennium Challenge
Corporation (MCC) initiative. The government faces many challenges
including developing a market economy, improving educational
facilities, facing up to environmental problems, dealing with the
rapidly growing problem of HIV/AIDS, and satisfying foreign donors
that fiscal discipline is being tightened. Since 2005 President
MUTHARIKA'S government has exhibited improved financial discipline
under the guidance of Finance Minister Goodall GONDWE and signed a
three year Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility worth $56 million
with the IMF. Improved relations with the IMF lead other
international donors to resume aid as well. The government has
announced infrastructure projects that could yield improvements,
such as a new oil pipeline, for better fuel access, and the
potential for a waterway link through Mozambican rivers to the
ocean, for better transportation options. Since 2009, however,
Malawi experienced some setbacks, including a general shortage of
foreign exchange, which has damaged its ability to pay for imports,
and fuel shortages that hinder transportation and productivity.
Investment fell 23% in 2009. The government has failed to address
barriers to investment such as unreliable power, water shortages,
poor telecommunications infrastructure, and the high costs of
services.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$13.51 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
$12.69 billion (2009 est.)
$11.79 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$5.035 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.5% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30
7.6% (2009 est.)
9.8% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$900 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 219
$800 (2009 est.)
$800 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 33.4%
industry: 21.7%
services: 44.9% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
5.747 million (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 90%
industry and services: 10% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Population below poverty line:
53% (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 31.9% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
39 (2004)
country comparison to the world: 69
Investment (gross fixed):
27.7% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27
Public debt:
40.4% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
44.6% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 187
8.4% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
15% (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 21
15% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
25.25% (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8
25.28% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$626.5 million (31 December 2010 est)
country comparison to the world: 151
$580.3 million (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$1.434 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
$1.233 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.72 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
$1.515 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 97
$1.771 billion (31 December 2008)
$587.2 million (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava (tapioca),
sorghum, pulses, groundnuts, Macadamia nuts; cattle, goats
Industries:
tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods
Industrial production growth rate:
17.3% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 2
Electricity - production:
1.69 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
Electricity - consumption:
1.572 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 139
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
Oil - consumption:
8,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
Oil - imports:
6,960 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
Current account balance:
-$315 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
-$332 million (2009 est.)
Exports:
$1.189 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149
$912 million (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
tobacco 53%, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products,
apparel
Exports - partners:
Germany 12.37%, Egypt 8.52%, South Africa 7.67%, Zimbabwe 7.55%, US
7.4%, Russia 6.79%, Netherlands 6.64%, Japan 4.1% (2009)
Imports:
$1.675 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157
$1.502 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods,
transportation equipment
Imports - partners:
South Africa 40.15%, China 6.79%, India 6.73%, France 5.03%,
Tanzania 4.81%, Mozambique 4.03% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$301 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 123
$163.4 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.213 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
$1.166 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
Malawian kwachas (MWK) per US dollar - 151.65 (2010), 141.14 (2009),
142.41 (2008), 141.12 (2007), 135.96 (2006)
Communications ::Malawi
Telephones - main lines in use:
175,000 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 129
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.4 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 126
Telephone system:
general assessment: rudimentary; privatization of Malawi
Telecommunications (MTL), a necessary step in bringing improvement
to telecommunications services, completed in 2006
domestic: limited fixed-line subscribership of about 1 per 100
persons; mobile-cellular services are expanding but network coverage
is limited and is based around the main urban areas; mobile-cellular
subscribership about 15 per 100 persons
international: country code - 265; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Atlantic Ocean) (2009)
Broadcast media:
radio is the main broadcast medium; state-run radio has the widest
geographic broadcasting reach, but about a dozen privately-owned
radio stations broadcast in major urban areas; the single television
network is government-owned; relays of multiple international
broadcasters are available (2007)
Internet country code:
.mw
Internet hosts:
870 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 167
Internet users:
716,400 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 109
Transportation ::Malawi
Airports:
32 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 112
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 26
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 12 (2010)
Railways:
total: 797 km
country comparison to the world: 102
narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 15,451 km
country comparison to the world: 121
paved: 6,956 km
unpaved: 8,495 km (2003)
Waterways:
700 km; (on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire River) (2010)
country comparison to the world: 76
Ports and terminals:
Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba
Military ::Malawi
Military branches:
Malawi Armed Forces: Army (includes Air Wing and Naval Detachment)
(2009)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; standard obligation
is 2 years of active duty and 5 years of reserve service (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,402,724 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,048,900
females age 16-49: 1,960,258 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 177,376
female: 176,905 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.3% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 118
Transnational Issues ::Malawi
Disputes - international:
disputes with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi)
and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant
page last updated on January 20, 2011
======================================================================
@Malaysia (East & Southeast Asia)
Introduction ::Malaysia
Background:
During the late 18th and 19th centuries, Great Britain established
colonies and protectorates in the area of current Malaysia; these
were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. In 1948, the British-ruled
territories on the Malay Peninsula formed the Federation of Malaya,
which became independent in 1957. Malaysia was formed in 1963 when
the former British colonies of Singapore and the East Malaysian
states of Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of Borneo joined
the Federation. The first several years of the country's history
were marred by a Communist insurgency, Indonesian confrontation with
Malaysia, Philippine claims to Sabah, and Singapore's secession from
the Federation in 1965. During the 22-year term of Prime Minister
MAHATHIR bin Mohamad (1981-2003), Malaysia was successful in
diversifying its economy from dependence on exports of raw materials
to expansion in manufacturing, services, and tourism.
Geography ::Malaysia
Location:
Southeastern Asia, peninsula bordering Thailand and northern
one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia, Brunei, and
the South China Sea, south of Vietnam
Geographic coordinates:
2 30 N, 112 30 E
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 329,847 sq km
country comparison to the world: 66
land: 328,657 sq km
water: 1,190 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries:
total: 2,669 km
border countries: Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km
Coastline:
4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation;
specified boundary in the South China Sea
Climate:
tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October
to February) monsoons
Terrain:
coastal plains rising to hills and mountains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m
Natural resources:
tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite
Land use:
arable land: 5.46%
permanent crops: 17.54%
other: 77% (2005)
Irrigated land:
3,650 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
580 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 9.02 cu km/yr (17%/21%/62%)
per capita: 356 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
flooding; landslides; forest fires
Environment - current issues:
air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water
pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian
forest fires
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China
Sea
People ::Malaysia
Population:
28,274,729 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43
Age structure:
0-14 years: 31.4% (male 4,153,621/female 3,914,962)
15-64 years: 63.6% (male 8,210,373/female 8,143,043)
65 years and over: 5% (male 569,245/female 724,575) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 26.5 years
male: 26.4 years
female: 26.7 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.609% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 76
Birth rate:
21.41 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
Death rate:
4.92 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190
Net migration rate:
-0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population
country comparison to the world: 139
note: does not reflect net flow of an unknown number of illegal
immigrants from other countries in the region (2009 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 70% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.069 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 15.5 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 121
male: 17.92 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.55 years
country comparison to the world: 112
male: 70.81 years
female: 76.48 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.7 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.5% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
80,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
3,900 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Malaysian(s)
adjective: Malaysian
Ethnic groups:
Malay 50.4%, Chinese 23.7%, indigenous 11%, Indian 7.1%, others 7.8%
(2004 est.)
Religions:
Muslim 60.4%, Buddhist 19.2%, Christian 9.1%, Hindu 6.3%,
Confucianism, Taoism, other traditional Chinese religions 2.6%,
other or unknown 1.5%, none 0.8% (2000 census)
Languages:
Bahasa Malaysia (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin,
Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi,
Thai
note: in East Malaysia there are several indigenous languages; most
widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 88.7%
male: 92%
female: 85.4% (2000 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years
male: 12 years
female: 13 years (2007)
Education expenditures:
4.5% of GDP (2007)
country comparison to the world: 90
Government ::Malaysia
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Malaysia
local long form: none
local short form: Malaysia
former: Federation of Malaya
Government type:
constitutional monarchy
note: nominally headed by paramount ruler (commonly referred to as
the King) and a bicameral Parliament consisting of a nonelected
upper house and an elected lower house; all Peninsular Malaysian
states have hereditary rulers (commonly referred to as sultans)
except Melaka and Pulau Pinang (Penang); those two states along with
Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia have governors appointed by
government; powers of state governments are limited by federal
constitution; under terms of federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain
certain constitutional prerogatives (e.g., right to maintain their
own immigration controls)
Capital:
name: Kuala Lumpur
geographic coordinates: 3 10 N, 101 42 E
time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
note: Putrajaya is referred to as administrative center not capital;
Parliament meets in Kuala Lumpur
Administrative divisions:
13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri) Johor, Kedah, Kelantan,
Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Sabah,
Sarawak, Selangor, and Terengganu; and 1 federal territory (Wilayah
Persekutuan) with three components, city of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan,
and Putrajaya
Independence:
31 August 1957 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day/Malaysia Day, 31 August (1957)
Constitution:
31 August 1957; amended many times the latest in 2007
Legal system:
based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in
the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the federation;
Islamic law is applied to Muslims in matters of family law and
religion; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: King - Sultan MIZAN Zainal Abidin (since 13 December
2006); (the position of the king is primarily ceremonial)
head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed NAJIB bin Abdul Razak
(since 3 April 2009); Deputy Prime Minister MUHYIDDIN bin Mohamed
Yassin (since 9 April 2009)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the
members of Parliament with consent of the king
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections: kings elected by and from the hereditary rulers of nine
of the states for five-year terms; selection based on principle of
rotation among rulers of states; election last held on 3 November
2006 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister designated from among
the members of the House of Representatives; following legislative
elections, the leader who commands the support of the majority of
members in the House becomes prime minister (since independence this
has been the leader of the UMNO party)
election results: Sultan MIZAN Zainal Abidin elected king
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlimen consists of Senate or Dewan Negara
(70 seats; 44 members appointed by the king, 26 elected by 13 state
legislatures to serve three-year terms with a two term limit) and
House of Representatives or Dewan Rakyat (222 seats; members elected
by popular vote to serve up to five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held on 8 March 2008
(next to be held by June 2013)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - BN
coalition 50.3%, opposition parties 46.8%, others 2.9%; seats - BN
coalition 140, opposition parties 82
Judicial branch:
civil courts include Federal Court, Court of Appeal, High Court of
Malaya on peninsula Malaysia, and High Court of Sabah and Sarawak in
states of Borneo (judges are appointed by the king on the advice of
the prime minister); sharia courts include Sharia Appeal Court,
Sharia High Court, and Sharia Subordinate Courts at state-level and
deal with religious and family matters such as custody, divorce, and
inheritance only for Muslims; decisions of sharia courts cannot be
appealed to civil courts
Political parties and leaders:
National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN (ruling coalition) consists
of the following parties: Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Party or PGRM [KOH
Tsu Koon]; Liberal Democratic Party (Parti Liberal Demokratik -
Sabah) or LDP [LIEW Vui Keong]; Malaysian Chinese Association
(Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [CHUA Soi Lek]; Malaysian Indian
Congress (Kongres India Malaysia) or MIC [Govindasamy PALANIVEL];
Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah or PBRS [Joseph KURUP]; Parti Bersatu
Sabah or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan]; Parti Pesaka Bumiputera
Bersatu or PBB [Abdul TAIB Mahmud]; Parti Rakyat Sarawak or PRS
[James MASING]; Sarawak United People's Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat
Sarawak) or SUPP [George CHAN Hong Nam]; United Malays National
Organization or UMNO [NAJIB bin Abdul Razak]; United Pasokmomogun
Kadazandusun Murut Organization (Pertubuhan Pasko Momogun Kadazan
Dusun Bersatu) or UPKO [Bernard DOMPOK]; People's Progressive Party
(Parti Progresif Penduduk Malaysia) or PPP [M.Kayveas]; Sarawak
Progressive Democratic Party or SPDP [William MAWAN])
People's Alliance (Pakatan Rakyat) or PR (opposition coalition)
consists of the following parties: Democratic Action Party (Parti
Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [KARPAL Singh]; Islamic Party of
Malaysia (Parti Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang];
People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [WAN AZIZAH
Wan Ismail]; Sarawak National Party or SNAP [Edwin DUNDANG]
independent party: Sabah Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Saban)
or SAPP [YONG Teck Lee]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Bar Council; BERSIH (electoral reform coalition); PEMBELA (Muslim
NGO coalition)
other: religious groups; women's groups; youth groups
International organization participation:
ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CICA (observer), CP, D-8, EAS, FAO,
G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC,
MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), UN,
UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNWTO,
UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador JAMALUDDIN Jarjis
chancery: 3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 572-9700
FAX: [1] (202) 572-9882
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Paul W. JONES
embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur
mailing address: US Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96535-8152
telephone: [60] (3) 2168-5000
FAX: [60] (3) 2142-2207
Flag description:
14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white
(bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow 14-pointed star; the flag is
often referred to as Jalur Gemilang (Stripes of Glory); the 14
stripes stand for the equal status in the federation of the 13
member states and the federal government; the 14 points on the star
represent the unity between these entities; the crescent is a
traditional symbol of Islam; blue symbolizes the unity of the Malay
people and yellow is the royal color of Malay rulers
note: the design is based on the flag of the US
National anthem:
name: "Negaraku" (My Country)
lyrics/music: collective, led by Tunku ABDUL RAHMAN/Pierre Jean DE
BERANGER
note: adopted 1957; the full version is only performed in the
presence of the king; the tune, which was adopted from a popular
French melody titled "La Rosalie," was originally the anthem of the
state of Perak
Economy ::Malaysia
Economy - overview:
Malaysia, a middle-income country, has transformed itself since the
1970s from a producer of raw materials into an emerging multi-sector
economy. Under current Prime Minister NAJIB, Malaysia is attempting
to achieve high-income status by 2020 and to move farther up the
value-added production chain by attracting investments in Islamic
finance, high technology industries, medical technology, and
pharmaceuticals. The NAJIB administration also is continuing efforts
to boost domestic demand and to wean the economy off of its
dependence on exports. Nevertheless, exports - particularly of
electronics - remain a significant driver of the economy. As an oil
and gas exporter, Malaysia has profited from higher world energy
prices, although the rising cost of domestic gasoline and diesel
fuel, combined with strained government finances, has forced Kuala
Lumpur to reduce government subsidies. The government is also trying
to lessen its dependence on state oil producer Petronas, which
supplies at least 40% of government revenue. The central bank
maintains healthy foreign exchange reserves and its well-developed
regulatory regime has limited Malaysia's exposure to riskier
financial instruments and the global financial crisis. Nevertheless,
decreasing worldwide demand for consumer goods hurt Malaysia's
exports and economic growth in 2009, although both showed signs of
recovery in 2010. In order to attract increased investment, NAJIB
has also sought to revise the special economic and social
preferences accorded to ethnic Malays under the New Economic Policy
of 1970, but he has encountered significant opposition, especially
from Malay nationalists.