Najib: Rakyat must have confidence in line with int'l rating agencies

The rakyat must think positively and be confident with the country's economic management in line with the confidence level of investors and international rating institutions, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

He said international bodies such as the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and international rating agencies such as Standard and Poor's, Fitch Ratings and Moody's Investors Service had given ratings and made conclusions on whether to maintain their ratings or make it more positive.

"It's not towards downgrading Malaysia...in fact, they gave their compliments on Malaysia's economic management," he said in an interview in conjunction with the UMNO General Assembly 2015 today.

Najib said the level of confidence of these international bodies must be disseminated to the rakyat to show that so much had been done by the government.

Nevertheless, he assumed that the level of the rakyat's appreciation might not be proportionate to what had been done by the government as this was complicated by negative comments in the social media by irresponsible parties.

These comments, he said, gave a picture as though the rating agencies would downgrade the ratings or gave a negative rating on the country's economy.

Standard & Poor's put Malaysia's credit rating at A- while Moody's gave an A3 rating for Malaysia's sovereign debt.

Meanwhile, Fitch gave Malaysia an A- credit rating.