Malaysia and Kazakhstan
Malaysia and Kazakhstan combine political visits with a growing university dimension. Anwar Ibrahim's May 2024 visit and educational activities in September 2026 provide examples of institutional cooperation, mobility and joint academic programme preparations.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-08 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-08Bilateral context
Anwar Ibrahim visited Kazakhstan on 16–17 May 2024 during the 32nd diplomatic anniversary and a decade after the previous equivalent contact.
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, goods trade between Malaysia and Kazakhstan totalled 246.4 million current USD.
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, machinery and mechanical appliances stands out in shipments from Malaysia to Kazakhstan, at 91.4 million USD in 2025.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 246.43 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Goods: Malaysia to Kazakhstan | 175.88 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Goods: Kazakhstan to Malaysia | 70.55 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: Malaysia to Kazakhstan | 0.038 % | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Export share: Kazakhstan to Malaysia | ||
| Investment stock: Malaysia in Kazakhstan | ||
| Investment stock: Kazakhstan in Malaysia |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter MYS. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF; no addition of mirror declarations. Both directions are identified from the same customs authority.
- Goods: Malaysia to Kazakhstan
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter MYS. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF; no addition of mirror declarations. Both directions are identified from the same customs authority.
- Goods: Kazakhstan to Malaysia
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter MYS. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF; no addition of mirror declarations. Both directions are identified from the same customs authority.
- Export share: Malaysia to Kazakhstan
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Exports to the partner / worldwide exports by the same reporter; same year and coverage.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
Some annual indicators refer to different years. Check the period beside each value before comparing them.
| Indicator | Malaysia | Kazakhstan |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 472.19 billion USD2025 · WB | 306.24 billion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 13,124.56 USD2025 · WB | 14,692.13 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 5.17 %2025 · WB | 6.5 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | ||
| Inflation · annual average | 1.38 %Annual average · 2025 · WB | 11.39 %Annual average · 2025 · WB |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | ||
| Unemployment | 3.76 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 4.77 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -3.5 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -3.1 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 70.7 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 24.6 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | 1.69 %2024 · WB | -4.07 %2025 · WB |
| Population | 35,977,8382025 · WB | 20,843,7542025 · WB |
| Area | 330,411 km²2023 · WB | 2,724,902 km²2023 · WB |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDMalaysia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Kazakhstan: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personMalaysia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Kazakhstan: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)Malaysia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Kazakhstan: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)Malaysia: 2025 · Annual average change in the CPI (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Kazakhstan: 2025 · Annual average change in the CPI (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency stated
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionMalaysia: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Kazakhstan: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)Malaysia: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.Kazakhstan: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)Malaysia: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.Kazakhstan: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPMalaysia: 2024 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Kazakhstan: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Population
- PeopleMalaysia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Kazakhstan: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceMalaysia: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Kazakhstan: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
Malaysia to Kazakhstan
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 91.4 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 16.8 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 0.694 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 0.189 M USD2025 · Source |
| Dairy products, eggs and honey | 0.0734 M USD2025 · Source |
| Vehicles and components | 0.0166 M USD2025 · Source |
Kazakhstan to Malaysia
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Mineral fuels and oils | 52.4 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 0.0236 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 0.0155 M USD2025 · Source |
| Vehicles and components | 0.00795 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 0.000125 M USD2025 · Source |
How trade has changed
Millions of current USD · full calendar years
View chart figures
| Period | Total | Malaysia to Kazakhstan | Kazakhstan to Malaysia |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 99 | 88.3 | 10.7 |
| 2022 | 130.2 | 128.9 | 1.2 |
| 2023 | 104 | 102.1 | 1.9 |
| 2024 | 140.7 | 115.3 | 25.3 |
| 2025 | 246.4 | 175.9 | 70.6 |
Connections between people
The page also documents the Malaysia–Central Asia higher education forum held in Astana on 28 September 2026. Officials and institutions participated to discuss mobility, accreditation, vocational training and digital capabilities. Malaysia's higher education minister met diaspora members and alumni that same month. The forum is regional, while the UMPSA–KazNARU programme is a specifically Kazakh university connection. [1]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from Malaysia living in Kazakhstan | ||
| Residents from Kazakhstan living in Malaysia | ||
| Study and training: Malaysia in Kazakhstan | ||
| Study and training: Kazakhstan in Malaysia | ||
| Academic stays: Malaysia in Kazakhstan | ||
| Academic stays: Kazakhstan in Malaysia | ||
| Travel: Malaysia to Kazakhstan | ||
| Travel: Kazakhstan to Malaysia |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
The scale of both economies
Nominal GDP for Malaysia is 472.2 billion USD (2025), compared with 306.2 for Kazakhstan (2025). The reference populations are 35.98 and 20.84 million, respectively. In the same year, the economy of Malaysia was 1.54 times that of Kazakhstan in nominal GDP. The comparison provides context on market size, but does not, on its own, measure influence, well-being or diplomatic closeness. Estimates and their sources retain their labels in the tables. [5] [6]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Review: 2026-10-08
Bilateral context
Anwar Ibrahim visited Kazakhstan on 16–17 May 2024 during the 32nd diplomatic anniversary and a decade after the previous equivalent contact. The page also documents the Malaysia–Central Asia higher education forum held in Astana on 28 September 2026. [1]
Cooperation and bilateral issues
Officials and institutions participated to discuss mobility, accreditation, vocational training and digital capabilities. An UMPSA delegation visited the embassy on 24 September and reviewed implementation of a dual-degree programme for 2026–2027 with KazNARU. Malaysia's higher education minister met diaspora members and alumni that same month. The forum is regional, while the UMPSA–KazNARU programme is a specifically Kazakh university connection. [1]
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, merchandise trade between the two countries (Malaysia and Kazakhstan) totalled 246.4 million current USD. Shipments from the first to the second were 175.9 million; those in the opposite direction, 70.6 million. The difference between the two flows was 105.3 million, in favour of Malaysia. This is a goods balance, not the total balance of the economic relationship: it excludes services, income and transfers. Both directions come from a single customs reporter to avoid adding mirror records. [2]
The partner's share of exports
Sales from Malaysia to the partner represented 0.038% of its worldwide goods exports in 2025. The share compares the same reporter, year and coverage. It measures export concentration, not the percentage of GDP dependent on this relationship. A partner may be important in a specific sector even if its share of total goods trade is small. [2]
Five years of trade trends
The consistent series shows 99 million USD in 2021 and 246.4 million in 2025. The change between the two endpoints was +148.8 % in current dollars. The highest annual value in the period was recorded in 2025, at 246.4 million. The chart allows the two directions to be compared to see whether they moved together or differently. The change combines quantities, prices and exchange rates; it is not automatically attributed to a treaty, a visit or a political decision. The same reporter is retained and missing years are not interpolated. [3]
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, machinery and mechanical appliances stands out in shipments from Malaysia to Kazakhstan, at 91.4 million USD in 2025. Within the selected chapters, mineral fuels and oils stands out in shipments from Kazakhstan to Malaysia, at 52.4 million USD in 2025. The table compares eight selected chapters with the same coverage as the trade total. It is not a complete list or proof that the first item in this selection is the leading product across the entire relationship. A chapter groups numerous goods: machinery and components, for example, do not describe a single business transaction. [4]
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Institutional sources and periods accompany each figure. Annual trade, investment positions, residents and visits are distinct measures. Empty cells do not mean zero. Statements of intent are not presented as project implementation or treaties in force.
- Bilateral relations — MYS-KAZ
www.kln.gov.my · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record
UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Trade series 2021–2025
UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record
UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- SP.POP.TOTL; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade
2026-10-08 · Accessed: 2026-10-08 · Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record.