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This study aims to provide a quantitative and integrated analysis of long-term structural transformation and labor productivity growth in Malaysia. Using data from the Department of Statistics Malaysia from 1987 to 2018 and decompositions that take account of the static and dynamic efficiency gains from labor reallocation, it documents that Malaysia has undergone structural transformation from an agriculture-driven to a services-driven economy. However, in contrast to common perceptions, the country's impressive growth in output per capita over the past three decades can largely be attributed not to its structural transformation but instead to sustained growth in within-sector labor productivity. At 3 percent, the contribution of between-sector reallocation of labor to growth in output per capita in Malaysia has been relatively low. Accordingly, together with efforts to spur the more productive reallocation of labor across sectors and positively affect the employment rate, the main policy challenge for Malaysia going forward will be to achieve sustainable labor productivity growth within various sectors.

Decomposition Analysis --- Deindustrialization --- Employment --- Employment and Unemployment --- Growth Drivers --- Industrial Economics --- Industry --- Labor Markets --- Labor Productivity --- Poverty Reduction --- Social Protections and Labor --- Structural Transformation

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This paper investigates the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on economic growth across developing countries. It documents the evolution and co-movement of COVID-19 infections with government responses (including health containment measures) across developing countries. It then estimates the impact of the different channels of transmission of COVID-19 on economic growth-thus, identifying factors that contribute to the economic resilience of countries during the pandemic shocks. The findings show that the pandemic's impact on the decline in growth was substantive across the different developing country groups-although at different rates. The estimates show that a deeper downturn in economic activity due to the pandemic can be averted in countries with higher levels of human capital, well-targeted containment measures, and improved global health security. Diversifying trade patterns (across products and markets) is also crucial, and so is strengthening intraregional trade, as higher commerce across borders within the different developing regions may help secure the supply chains of essential goods in times of crisis-and particularly during pandemics. Finally, having fiscal space and a less risky public debt profile can make these economies more resilient against crisis.

Containment --- Coronavirus --- Covid-19 --- Disease Control and Prevention --- Economic Growth --- Fiscal Space --- Growth Drivers --- Health, Nutrition and Population --- International Economics and Trade --- International Trade and Trade Rules --- Macroeconomics and Economic Growth --- Pandemic Impact