The Malaysian Alliance of Corporate Directors (MACD) has welcomed the direction of the 13th Malaysia Plan, praising its strong focus on good governance, artificial intelligence (AI) readiness, and national competitiveness.
In a statement, MACD said it supports the government’s ambitious targets of placing Malaysia among the top 25 in the Corruption Perception Index and top 12 in the IMD Competitiveness Yearbook. The organisation emphasised that Corporate Malaysia has a central role in achieving these crucial governance goals.
MACD highlighted several key reforms introduced under 13MP, including the new ILTIZAM Act, the Public Finance and Fiscal Responsibility Act, and a renewed push for GovTech and MyDigital ID. These initiatives were described as significant steps toward strengthening accountability across both the public and private sectors.
As Malaysia’s oldest director institute, MACD is now urging corporate boards to take the lead in this national transformation. The organisation’s call to action is to embed ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) into their strategy and reporting. Establishing board-level oversight of AI ethics and risk and embracing diversity, in line with the government’s goal of 60% women’s participation.
Furthermore, MACD is calling on the government to strengthen its collaboration with corporate directors to ensure board accountability aligns with national governance priorities and that both listed companies and SMEs receive the necessary support during this transition.
