This book is a collection of policy insights, articles and speeches by Tengku Zafrul Aziz, who was appointed as Malaysia’s Minister of Finance on March 10, 2020, just as COVID-19 began to hit the nation. It provides a glimpse into the inner workings of the Ministry of Finance (MOF), particularly in meeting the nation’s demanding fiscal needs, while also contributing to the difficult but ultimately successful fight against COVID-19 and managing the battered economy during the last two-and-a-half years.

Tengku Zafrul and his team faced multiple challenges in navigating the economy through stormy, uncharted waters while setting into motion several much-needed reforms to rebuild Malaysia’s strength and resilience. Throughout this unprecedented journey, he anchored his leadership of the MOF based on three key principles – to be RESPONSIVE, RESPONSIBLE and REFORMIST – with the goal of ensuring that the country emerges from the pandemic towards sustainable and inclusive growth.

Poignant, thought-provoking and insightful, Weathering the Economic Storm is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand how Malaysia overcame COVID-19 and how the future of its economy will be shaped from the perspective of one of the nation’s rising leaders.