Liow: Govt should focus on country’s administration

KUALA LUMPUR: MCA is proud to have played an important role in uniting the country and the various races, its president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said.

For the past 55 years, he said Barisan Nasional had focused on developing the economy for the wellbeing of the people.

But he said the economy is deteriorating with the rate of growth for the first quarter of the year sliding and foreign investors pulling out of the country.

In his Malaysia Day message, he said the government should be clear in its direction and focus on administrating the country and not make U-turns on its promises.

It should also stop populist politics and fully embark on developing the country, he said.

Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Madius Tangau said Malaysia Day is an occasion for all Malaysians to remember the formation of the country 55 years ago, and a reminder of how far the nation had come following its independence.

Sept 16 is also the day to remind Malaysians of the importance of the autonomous rights and privileges enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63)d, he said.

“Malaysia was formed after the MA63 was signed with the then Malaya, this is the backbone and the basis of our nationhood,” he said.

“All Malaysians must protect and uphold the sanctity of the Federal Constitution and MA63,” he said in a statement.

Madius said many Sabahans still felt short-changed and sidelined in various aspects including development, job and education opportunities.

“We must revisit how we distributed wealth and how we should be recognising contributions from the peninsula,” he said.

“We must re-engineer wealth distribution policies to reduce inequalities and when everyone is empowered and society is more equal, we will see everyone being able to flourish at their best,” he said.

He said the country’s leadership needs a clear vision of national unity and the direction for integration, as Malaysia will only prosper when both east and west Malaysia have frequent engagements.

“Malaysia will only progress thoroughly as one nation when we reach an equilibrium in prosperity and centre-periphery relations,” Madius said.

He said everyone should feel that they belong to the country.

“I trust that we are in this journey of Federation-hood together.

“We could do this for the betterment of Sabah and Sarawak and the betterment of Malaysia,” Madius said.

Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the mentality that Sept 16 was merely a public holiday needs to stop as this special day is full of meaning for the nation.

Gerakan president Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong said that efforts to strengthen solidarity and integration must continue to be shared by all regardless of race, religion, social status or geopolitical differences.