Najib: Naysayers proved wrong
Improved ranking by ADB shows negativity over Malaysia unfounded
PUTRAJAYA: The latest revision on Malaysia’s growth by an international body has proven the naysayers wrong, said the Prime Minister.
Calling on the people to ignore such negativity, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the revision of national economic growth by the Asian Development Bank shows that the country is on the right trajectory.
According to a Bloomberg report, the ADB has revised the growth for two Asian countries for 2017 – 5.4% from 4.7% for Malaysia and 3.2% from 2% for Hong Kong.
“So don’t listen to naysayers who keep running down their own country for their own political ends.
“The evidence is clear. We are on the right trajectory and this is shown by the fact that Malaysia is welcomed as a trading partner around the world, by America, China, Saudi Arabia, India and many others,” said the Prime Minister at the groundbreaking ceremony for MyExpo here.
Najib said that countries want to strengthen ties with Malaysia because “our economy is progressing from a position of strength” .
“It is from this position of strength that we launched the TN50, to plan for the future. In due course we will lay out a blueprint for how we can set about making Malaysia one of the top 20 countries in the world.
“If that sounds ambitious, well yes, it is. But I make no apology for that. And it is certainly not unrealistic,” he added.
The Prime Minister said while critics constantly claim that the country is in danger of going bankrupt, the Government would continue to push for growth, development and prosperity for the people.
On the MyExpo project, Najib was confident it will further elevate Putrajaya’s status from being a planned city to a city that caters for both business and leisure in a more holistic way.
This federal administrative capital will be home to the country’s largest exhibition centre when MyExpo opens its doors in 2021.
Combined with the existing Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC), this city will also record another feat.
The combination of PICC and MyExpo will result in the largest meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions venue in South-East Asia.
“Putrajaya already has a lot to offer visitors. It has great connectivity with the MRT, ERL and other modes of public transport in Putrajaya Sentral, giving access to KL and beyond.
“The proposed KL-Singapore high speed rail will be just a station away, while KLIA and KLIA2 are also nearby.
“All of which will make MyExpo not only an iconic establishment but a key attraction as a destination for conferences and exhibitions, nationally, regionally and internationally,” said the Prime Minister.