Malaysia’s R&D landscape has transitioned from a period of consolidation between 2018 and 2020 into a phase of robust growth. By 2022, the Gross Expenditure on R&D (GERD) reached a historic milestone of RM 18,156.10 million, effectively reversing previous downward trends and surpassing all prior records. While the GERD/GDP ratio has remains at 1.01%, this recovery signifies a renewed strategic commitment to R&D, with investment volumes now scaling aggressively to keep pace with the nation’s rapid economic expansion.

Malaysia’s R&D landscape underwent a pivotal shift in 2022, transitioning from an academic-heavy model back toward a private-sector-driven ecosystem. Business Enterprises (BE) reclaimed their role as the primary engine of R&D, surging to 51.37% of total expenditure. This resurgence was balanced by Higher Learning Institutions (HLI) at 37.17% and a leaner Government Research Institute (GRI) share of 11.40%. This trend signals a healthy recalibration toward commercialization and market-led research, suggesting that the nation is successfully maturing its R&D profile, moving closer to the industry-led structures of advanced global economies.

Following a sharp contraction in personnel between 2018 and 2020, Malaysia’s R&D workforce experienced a significant resurgence in 2022. The number of Researchers climbed to 91,789, signalling a recovery toward the 2016 peak of 108,557. This growth is most evident in the Researchers per 10,000 Labour Force ratio, which rose to 55, a marked improvement from the 33 recorded in 2020. Accompanied by 22,467 Technicians and 27,114 Support Staff, this expansion reflects a robust recovery of the R&D ecosystem, driven by an increased demand for specialized expertise across both the public and private sectors.