KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 ― The economic reform agenda, moving forward, has to look different and even consider unorthodox ideas given the unusual pandemic situation, to ensure the nation strides confidently into the future, said Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
The finance minister said this in his commemorative speech at the virtual Global Education Conference and Postgraduate Colloquium 2021 today hosted by UNIRAZAK. While the combination of direct cash assistance and subsidies for day-to-day essential items such as cooking oil and flour has managed to meet the needs of the disadvantaged, more can be done to effectively address inequality and gaps in social safety, he added.
Firstly, policymakers in many countries have to grapple with productivity growth especially in view of the synchronous slowdown of the global economy due to this pandemic, he said.