One of the key objectives of the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP) is to implement more development in less developed regions and states, with the aim of dispersing the benefits of growth while narrowing economic disparity among regions. The regional areas mentioned in the 9MP included the east coast and the southern Johor in Peninsular Malaysia, and Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia. Author: Azidin Wan Abdul Kadir. Publication: MIERScan, 3 July 2006.