PM: Langkawi’s growth has surpassed target
LANGKAWI: Life has been good here with 3.8 million travellers pouring in last year and RM11bil in investments between 2011 and 2015, says Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
The Prime Minister said it has surpassed the original target of three million travellers and RM5bil in investments.
The tally, he added, kept growing in 2016 with 3.63 million arrivals, creating RM4.7bil in revenue while last year, arrivals shot up again.
The initial targets were first laid down in the Langkawi Tourism Blueprint 2011-2015, which Najib launched.
Najib said the buoyant response of the global tourism market for Langkawi’s appeal has driven Barisan Nasional to pledge RM86.5mil to improve the island’s jetty facilities, immigration and quarantine complex in its election manifesto.
“This is all part of a long-term commitment to create jobs and raise the standard of living in this beautiful part of Malaysia,” he said at the official opening of the RM350mil Ritz-Carlton Langkawi yesterday.
Najib said he was aware that some islanders might have some nostalgia for a former leader.
“But he is now allied with men whom he jailed, those who denounced him and whose party used to call him a racist.
“He has made so many U-turns. His mind is stuck in the past. So let me tell you that back-to-the-future is the programme for Malaysia,” he said, without naming Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Dr Mahathir, who is Pakatan Harapan chairman, is known for his efforts to develop Langkawi.
The former premier is tipped to contest here in the general election.
Najib said the Government was on track to achieve high income status based on the latest report from the International Monetary Fund.
He added that the World Bank also labelled the Malaysian economy as “one that is moving to a position of strength”.