FINANCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN MALAYSIA FROM 1990 TO 2019: VECM APPROACH

Abstract

Economists believe that efficient financial development is significant for building sustainable economic growth in any country. The global financial crisis, economic events and country’s uniqueness has resulted in continuous research to examine the relationship of financial and economic development using numerous methods and indicators which presented various simulation that led to different views on the linkages. Most of the studies had tested the indicators individually which resulted in less dynamic findings and creates a gap in the research. Hence, this paper aims to examine the relationship between financial development and economic growth in Malaysia by observing different economic indicators concurrently. This study using Malaysia’s annual time series data from 1990 to 2019. This study employs descriptive statistics, regression estimations, unit root test, Johansen co-integration test, VAR, and VECM modeling. The FTSE Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (FBMKLCI) and domestic credit as a percentage to GDP (DC) have been used as proxies for financial development while GDP per capita and Industrial Production Index (IPI) as proxies for economic growth. The findings reveal that FBMKLCI and domestic credit produces a significant relationship towards GDP per capita in the long run and short run. Contrary results found in FBMKLCI-domestic credit-IPI nexus whereby FBMKLCI and domestic credit demonstrate negative association towards IPI. As this study uses the same variables to indicates the relationship towards unalike economic growth gauge, more dynamic work and effort shall be considered to enhance the results. Government and respective institutions shall play their role effectively to revisit or formulate policy and law of the financial system to stimulate the growth of the Malaysian economy.