Some TN50 recommendations will be included in 2018 budget

Several recommendations and aspirations related to 2050 National Transformation (TN50) which were brought up in the Round Table Discussion on the Economy will be included in the 2018 Budget which will be tabled on Oct 27.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said every matter or programme discussed in TN50 need not necessarily be carried out in 2050 but could be implemented now in the effort to form Malaysia by 2050.

He said there were several aspects which had to be carried out now before the country headed towards TN50.

"Some should be done today, and we must try to do it right now," he said when delivering his opening speech for the current issues round table discussion ceremony and the urban residents socio-economic issues at the Perdana Putra Building here today.

Najib, who is also Finance Minister, lauded the attendance of about 26 non-government organisation (NGO) , social organisation and social welfare-related government agency representatives to the round table session to discuss the related issues to formulate a new mission for the nation.

"The whole idea is for us to get your idea and feedback so we can decide what we can do together for some of our aspirations. It is about what we can do and how far the journey is towards 2050," he said.

Najib said several suggestions and ideas related to TN50 must be entered into the 2018 Budget seeing they could involve long term programmes.

For example, he said: "It is akin to a super tanker and when you need to turn the tanker, you have to do it when still several miles before reaching the harbour. You cannot turn it suddenly just before you reach the port. It does not work that way.

"Similarly, a lot of things will be done for the country, and it will be for all generational change. For example, the change to our national education system, it requires a time span of 15 to 20 years in the policy decision. If one decision is not done now, we will definitely not be able to see the results in 15 to 20 years," he said.

-- BERNAMA