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Malaysia's GDP shrinks by 17%

Aug 14, 2020

Malaysia's GDP contracted by around 17%  in the second quarter of 2020, the worst quarterly decline in over two decades. 

Bank Negara says the decline was due to the Movement Control Order, and a weakened external sector as various countries implemented lockdown measures to curb the spread of COVID-19. 

However, the central bank expects the economy to gradually improve in the second half of this year. 

It forecasts the GDP to contract between 3.5 to 5.5% this year, before posting growth of 8% in 2021. 

More COVID-19 cases from Tawar cluster

Malaysia reported 20 new COVID-19 cases, including 11 linked to the Tawar cluster in Kedah. 

Meanwhile the Health Ministry has detected another cluster in the same state. 

This raises the number of active infections to 196. 

The death toll still stands at 125.  

Stranded flight passengers sent to quarantine centres

Over 100 individuals who were stranded in KLIA upon arriving from overseas yesterday, have already been sent to quarantine centres. 

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob says they were stranded because their flight was not in the original schedule of arrivals.

As such, authorities needed time to arrange hotels for their mandatory quarantine.