Irwan Serigar, Azmin trade barbs over 2021 GDP estimates

Former Treasury secretary-general Irwan Serigar Abdullah today traded barbs with International Trade and Industry Minister Azmin Ali over growth projections for 2021.

This after Azmin cited international reports forecasting that Malaysia's GDP growth next year would be between 6.3 percent and 7.5 percent.

Irwan said such projections needed to be realistic.

"I am shocked by the figures mentioned by the minister. Who forecasted this, Bank Negara or the Finance Ministry? Surely the International Trade and Industry Ministry didn't do their own forecast?

"I don't want to criticise, but we must be realistic. Don't shoot in the dark like Pakatan Harapan," he tweeted.

Azmin, however, shot back at Irwan

"I'm ashamed to see such a comment from a former Treasury secretary-general. Refer to reports from the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and S & P," the minister tweeted.

According to the World Bank, Malaysia's GDP is expected to record negative 3.1 percent growth this year but rebound in 2021 with 6.9 percent growth.

Meanwhile, the IMF forecasts that for 2020, the Malaysian GDP will contract 3.8 percent. It had earlier in April estimated growth could bounce back next year to a whopping 9 percent.

GDP growth percentages are usually higher than normal for the year after an economic recession.

For example in 2009, amid a global financial crisis, Malaysia's GDP shrunk by 1.5 percent. In 2010, growth shot back up to 7.4 percent

The following years, growth was between 4.7 percent and six percent.

The big rebound is because annual growth figures are compared to the previous year's performance which in the case of 2020, would be at a lower point.

However, this does not necessarily mean the economy had performed better than in the years before the recession.

- Mkini