Planning of National Transport Infrastructure
In the Islamic Countries
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3.1.9. Policy Recommendations
Based on these findings, the following policy recommendations are proposed:
 Policy driven planning that devolves, deregulates and promotes subsidiarity would be good
for this large territory.
 Climate change resilience will need to be factored into the selection and design of projects
 Sustainability is an issue that needs to be solved as most of the transport services are
subsidised.
 Improving international connectivity and the reduction of non-tariff barriers with
neighbouring countries would stimulate trade and economic development.
 Improving the transparency of the public consultation process by providing more
information such as guidance, a clear timeline, and all draft regulations to all stakeholders.
 Increasing the involvement of private sector by enhancing the market environment for
private sector participation.
 Setting up an independent (external) objective monitoring in order to evaluate whether the
implementation of the plan is effective on achieving the expected results. Furthermore, the
focus of the monitoring should also include the outcomes instead of only on the achieved
target and financial resources allocation.
3.2.Malaysia
Malaysia is a federation of 13 states and 1 federal territory. Its population in 2016 was 31.2
million. Malaysia has been on the fast track of development and progress since the independence
61 years ago and is shifting from an emerging to a developed market. Its GDP is increased from
USD 202 billion in 2009 to USD 296 billion in 2016 (source: TheWorld Bank) and this has placed
Malaysia as the world’s 24th largest trading nation.
Malaysia holds the fifth place globally in the Global Infrastructure Investment Index 2016. Awell
developed and maintained infrastructure system is one of the driving forces behind this
evolution. Malaysia has one of the highest quality of infrastructure amongst the ASEAN
countries.
3.2.1. Political and Legislation Factors
Similar to Kazakhstan, Malaysia also does not have a National Transport Policy nor Master Plan.
Transport infrastructure related programs are formulated in the 2016-2020 Eleventh Malaysia
Plan (“11MP”), called “Anchoring growth on people”. It is Malaysia’s five-year economic
development plan towards realizing the goal o that envisions Malaysia as a fully
developed country along all dimensions - economically, politically, socially, spiritually,
psychologically, and culturally - by the year 2020. This plan contains several key physical
infrastructure initiatives and is followed by master plans or implementation plans which are
prepared by respective ministries and agencies to guide implementation on the ground.
The 11MP is the closing chapter of the lengthy 2020 Vision Plan launched in the year 1991, as
shown in the following figure. The Eleventh Plan is of importance as it will be the last five-year
plan before Vision 2020 is achieved.