Najib: Govt committed in discharging responsibility

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said yesterday the government will continue to be committed in carrying out its responsibility as a trustworthy and accountable government.

He said that the country’s success all this while was not achieved easily and as such, it should be maintained and protected in the best manner so that the hard work put in would not be in vain.

“Of course, our success during the past few decades did not come on a silver platter. It also did not come in a blink of an eye. If it is not properly looked after, it will disappear in a flash.

“That is why, Your Majesty’s government will never allow the nation that had been built through sweat and tears to be destroyed by irresponsible parties,” he said when delivering his congratulatory speech to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah in conjunction with His Majesty’s official birthday and the investiture ceremony at Istana Negara.

Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Hajah Haminah was also present at the investiture.

Najib said it would be ascertained that the government administration and machinery would carry out transactions through consensus and as a team instead of working alone or according to their respective channels.

“Only then can the nation transform as it progresses to achieve prosperity,” he said.

As the nation moved closer to the 57th anniversary of the country’s Independence, the prime minister said Malaysia today was unlike what it was before because many challenges had to be faced whether in terms of demography, perception of the borderless world or even the various incidents that affected national harmony.

However, he said Malaysia was fortunate as it continued to be peaceful and preserved harmony, although at the same time, for the sake of solidarity, stability and public interest, the people must be united in rejecting any form of extremism that could destroy the solidarity that had been achieved.

In fact, Najib said, government endeavours would continue to place priority on inclusive developmental approach whether in the urban or rural areas, based on the principles of growth with equity so that all communities in the country would benefit from the economic development or national wealth.

Briefing on the country’s current development, among other things, Najib touched on the annual report of the Government Transformation Plan (GTP) 2.0 which had achieved 104 per cent success out of the overall national target in 2013.

The prime minister also said that the country had achieved a new record in terms of foreign direct investment (FDI) approved by the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) totalling RM216.5 billion last year.

“Evidently, this is an encouraging achievement despite the challenging external environment.

“Based on the strong national economic growth, with the will of God, the rate of inflation remained low at 3.5 per cent and the unemployment rate was merely around 3.1 per cent,” he said.

Najib also touched on the KL International Airport 2 (klia2) which had started operations on May 2, and the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) project as an Economic Motivational Project under the National Key Economic Areas (NKEA) which targeted 50 per cent of the use of public transport in the Greater Kuala Lumpur Klang Valley to be achieved.

In the tourism sector, the Visit Malaysia Year 2014, as of March 2014, had succeeded in attracting 7.1 million tourists, compared with 6.4 million for the same period last year, an increase of 10 per cent for the period, the prime minister said.

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) system, which would be implemented in April next year, was also touched by the Prime Minister by disclosing that the government was taking measures to intensify briefing sessions to give the correct picture to everyone in order to enhance understanding on the tax system.

Touching on the national economic achievement, Najib said that generally Malaysia’s economic position had shown positive growth with the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rising 6.2 per cent in the first quarter of this year, although in reality the nation was also affected by the world’s economic uncertainty.

“Currently, Malaysia is ranked 12th in the world in terms of competitiveness, compared with the 15th position last year,” he said.

In his speech, Najib also pledged the nation’s commitment to work hard to turn Malaysia into a progressive Muslim nation that was dynamic based on the concept of syariah and adopting the principles of moderation.

At the regional stage, after being given the honour of playing the role of intermediary in the signing of the Bangsamoro Peace Agreement between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Philippine government, signed on March 27, 2014, to end the bloody conflicts that had prolonged for decades, Malaysia would play a more active role in Southeast Asia in future as the Asean chairman.

Earlier in his speech, Najib took the opportunity to extend his condolences and called on everyone present to offer Al-Fatihah on the passing of the chairman of the Kedah Council of Regency Tan Sri Tunku Annuar Sultan Badlishah on May 21 and the passing of the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah, on May 28. — Bernama