UNDERSTANDING SHARED PROSPERITY VISION 2030 FROM THE MALAYSIAN GRASSROOTS PERSPECTIVE

The Malaysian Shared Prosperity Vision 2030 (SPV2030) aims to achieve sustainable economic growth alongside fair, inclusive, and equitable development for the nation. Since independence, Malaysia has endeavoured to continuously strike a balance in aligning economic growth, moving ahead in the value chain as well as bridging development gaps in a multi-racial society. Previous research has commonly approached shared prosperity (SP) at a quantitative and macro level. This study fills the lacuna of knowledge in suggesting that it is imperative to understand the perceptions of the grassroots (individuals) at a micro level for policy implementation. This qualitative study employs a combination of focus groups and interviews. The extraction of themes was carried out using the Gioia methodology guided by the three dimensions stipulated in the SPV2030 policy document. They are: (1) development for all; (2) addressing wealth and income disparities; and (3) fostering a united, prosperous, and dignified nation. Generally, the respondents embrace inclusive growth. They hope that development will lead to greater social mobility and that a needs-based approach is adopted in areas such as education and healthcare. In addition, enhanced governance and sense of togetherness are perceived as major drivers in promoting a united, prosperous, and dignified nation. As part of the a priori findings, the respondents also identified major enablers of SPV2030 are better living standards, revamping of education, skills enhancement, technological empowerment, responsible citizenship and community participation, and government effectiveness. The conceptual framework of this study can be used as platform to spur future studies within the Asia Pacific region which share similar developmental settings as Malaysia in fostering future financial and social well-being through SP.