PM Najib: Ideas from 2018 budget chats to be studied

The Prime Minister said this on his blog NajibRazak.com in connection to the ideas brought up during a chat session at a shopping complex here tonight.

This includes the views of real-estate expert Faizul Ridzuan who said he was grateful for the government's efforts to provide many housing projects like the 1Malaysia People's Housing (PR1MA) and the 1Malaysian Public Housing Project (PPA1M).

Najib said Faizul stressed on the importance of the people getting the information and knowledge on subsales of houses which could still be obtained at market prices.

He added that Faizul also said the public were not aware that a three-bedroom terrace house with a swimming pool in Damansara could still be bought for RM450,000.

He also shared the views of Dr Khairul Hafidz, who is working with the Health Ministry in Putrajaya in urging the government to set up nurseries or child daycare centres for health staff and medical officers who have to work shift hours.

Najib said Josh Teng, the founder of NEXT Academy, a training centre for the development of youths, proposed that the duration of industrial training for local university students be extended from the current three months now so as to allow them to gather experience and skills in preparation for employment.

Najib also listened to the views on the tourism industry from a co-founder of Local Usher, Sabrina Cheng who suggested that more attention be given to small tourism vendors so that they could compete with the bigger industry players.

Rashdan Nasaruddin, a clothes company entrepreneur, also proposed that young entrepreneurs be encouraged to get into the mobile business which goes from house to house, as it was more flexible, cheaper and easier for them to start their businesses.

Najib said he was happy to see his online friends very spirited when discussing the country's future especially the 2018 Budget which would be tabled at the end of October.

"This is what I have always stressed in my leadership, the bottom-up approach when formulating or planning a policy. The voice and aspirations of the majority of the people will always be a guide to the government in its efforts to take Malaysia towards the status of a developed and successful nation," he said.

He also urged Malaysians to send in their ideas for the 2018 Budget through https://bajet2018.najibrazak.com