NEW YORK: Wrapping up his New York visit with a meeting with the Malaysian community at the Malaysian Permanent Mission in New York Saturday night, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak urged the attentively-listening Malaysians to be “proud to be Malaysian”.
Citing the example of unity within the cross-sections of the American population, he said that despite all their differences of the American nation and the politicians – he was, apparently, referring to the ongoing heated debate over the Obamacare health plans providing healthcare coverage to Americans – Americans were always united behind the American flag and were proud to be Americans.
“Are you willing to rise above your self-interest and think of the nation?” he asked.
“I have a dream for Malaysia and want our 28 million population to also have this dream. Join me in this endeavour, despite our differences.
“Each of us can contribute to achieving this goal. Stay united and make Malaysia a great nation,” he added.
Addressing the packed auditorium at the Malaysian mission, Najib said that if Malaysia was to be a great nation, “you must have a global strategy. It has to be far-reaching and global in every respect.”
Indeed, his visit had been “all-encompassing”, covering a myriad of sectors of importance to a modern economy – multimedia, science, biotechnology, business, foreign affairs, politics and even children’s education – saying that the last-named sector was looked after by his wife.
“I have travelled from the west coast to the east. I have realised the importance of having links with the global community, particularly the United States,” he said, adding that the west coast was home to the information technology and that he had also met representatives of Facebook and Twitter.
Najib reminded the Malaysian community, which included many students at various American institutions of learning who had come to listen to the prime minister, that Malaysia’s goal was to become a developed nation by 2020.
“You should join in our endeavours and help make Malaysia become a developed nation by 2020,” he told the gathering.
Malaysia already has a hi-tech environment.
“But we do not want to be mere consumers of information technology … we want to be creators of information technology.
“That is why, we have created the Multimedia Super Corridor. We want Malaysian companies to grow from Cyberjaya to Silicon Valley … either we bring Silicon Valley to Cyberjaya or go from Cyberjaya to Silicon Valley.
“But to succeed in the IT sector, you don’t have to be a drop-out,” he said amidst laughter from the audience which was tickled by his veiled reference to the founders of global US-based IT companies that have been led by corporate leaders who, despite not completing college education, have become global corporate icons and have left a huge mark on the global industrial and corporate landscape.
Emphasising the need for new technologies, he said these were needed for various applications.
“I want to bring the Tessler electric car to Malaysia, for example, because it will help us reduce our carbon footprint. You have to be an innovative nation.
“We need innovation in the biotech sector. For example, we need lots of innovation in the soybean sector. Palm oil has to be innovative, failing which the soybean sector would overtake it.
“Malaysia’s banana industry has been afflicted by disease and this brings us to the need for global technology which can help us overcome such problems,” he said.
The IM4U outreach programme was also launched at the dinner-reception for the community.
Carrying the prime minister’s signature, the project is aimed at encouraging youth volunteers to contribute towards transforming Malaysia into a better place to live and work.
The locally-based Malaysian students presented to the prime minister a mock check of US$10,000, representing the sum collected for Malaysia.
A Malaysian student studying at the Hoboken-based Steven’s Institute of Technology in New Jersey told Bernama that Malaysian students were galvanising their efforts to make a ‘modest contribution’ to help build Malaysia become a developed nation.
Earlier, Malaysian Consul-General in New York Syed Mohammed Bakri Syed Abdul Rahman welcomed Najib, his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman and others in the prime minister’s entourage.
Syed Mohammed Bakri recalled how he, during his former posting as Malaysian consul-general in Jeddah, had met Najib – who was then deputy prime minister – who had left a ‘positive impression’ on him.
He told the students that they were indeed, very fortunate to be able to meet with the prime minister and other dignitaries at the Malaysian mission in New York. — Bernama