PM: Country’s success due to Govt’s focus and direction
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s many milestones last year can be attributed to a government that has focus and direction, the Prime Minister said.
As such, he added, the choice Malaysians have in 2018 is between a government with clear and beneficial policies or parties that play on unhappiness and anger.
In his New Year message, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak recounted economic successes such as the Digital Free Trade Zone and the RM272.11bil investment by Saudi Aramco in Johor, which were due to the business-friendly environment the Government created.
“Our economy beat all expectations, with the World Bank revising its estimate for Malaysia’s growth this year upwards not once, not twice, but three times – to a very healthy 5.8%,” he said yesterday.
“Many respected independent global bodies have commended the Government’s prudent handling of the economy, and recognised that its resilience and competitiveness have been built up for the good of the Malaysian people.”
Noting that some Malaysians still face challenges and hardship, Najib said steps have been taken to ensure the country’s growth is both sus- tainable and inclusive, so that no one will be left behind.
Malaysia’s international standing has also gone up because of the country’s clear stand on the Rohingya refugees and Jerusalem, he added.
The Prime Minister pointed out that there was no better way to celebrate the country’s 60th Merdeka by winning the SEA Games with its largest-ever medal haul of 145 gold, 92 silver and 86 bronze.
At the same time, he said, the year was also marked with challenges.
He listed tragedies such as the death of 23 students and teachers in the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah tahfiz fire in September, the Penang floods and deadly landslide, and the murder of Kim Jong-nam.
The Prime Minister said 2017 was a year in which the Government redoubled its good governance efforts, addressing previous mistakes such as forex losses incurred by Bank Negara between 1992 and 1994, and cracking down on a culture of crony capitalism.
He alluded to attempts by former leaders to overthrow the Government to realise dynastic ambitions, saying that in a democracy, all that should matter is the wishes of the people at the ballot box.
“We can have differences of opinion, but we should still be decent and have decorum,” he said, and praised PAS and its president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang for cooperating on issues such as the Rohingya refugees and Palestine.
He said these were examples of mature politics that helped build Malaysia, by focusing on what Malaysians have in common.
The Prime Minister urged all Malaysians to work towards cementing the country’s position as a model of harmony and diversity for both developing and developed countries.