The Economic Planning Unit (EPU) is the principal government agency responsible for preparing the national development plans. The Unit began on 24 April 1956 as the Economic Secretariat to the Economic Committee of the Federal Executive Council. The Economic Secretariat underwent reorganisastion as the Economic Planning Unit in 1961 and headed by the Deputy Secretary (Economics) in the Prime Minister’s Department. Starting in 1970, EPU is headed by a director general with Tan Sri Dato’ Thong Yaw Hong becoming its first Director General.

EPU underwent various phases of restructuring to strengthen its role in national socioeconomic development planning. This include its restructuring in 2007 to focus planning to two sectors namely sectoral planning and macro planning. In 2009, the Privatisation and Private Finance Initiative (PFI) Section of EPU was moved to the Public Private Partnership Unit (UKAS), a new agency under the Prime Minister’s Department responsible for the public-private partnership and privatisation.