PM Najib: Malaysia must keep raising the bar higher to succeed more

Malaysia must always raise the bar higher to enable the country to stay ahead and create more success stories and developments, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

He said in the government's effort to make the Malaysia Digital Policy a success and to prepare the nation for the Fourth Industrial Revolution era, Malaysia had no choice but to dare and convince itself that the country was able to leap further than usual.

"Meaning to say, from now on, our achievements should be able to go beyond the usual or (in other words) we must always raise the bar high and continue to keep it that way for Malaysia.

"With that, Malaysia will eventually be known not only as a role model to Muslim countries but also as a reference to others as a highly respected High Income Advanced Economy country," he said when outlining Malaysia's direction in his congratulatory speech in conjunction with the birthday of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V at Istana Negara, here today.

The prime minister added that Malaysia was now on the right trajectory towards the National Transformation 2050 (TN50) vision, and that the country could not afford to rest on its laurels.

Najib also expressed his joy as the country not only emerged as the overall champion in the 29th SEA Games and celebrated its 60th National Day, but was also celebrating His Majesty's birthday.

“It appears that all Malaysians are presenting ‘gifts’ to Your Majesty, celebrating (and sharing) the good things in conjunction with Your Majesty's birthday as the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong,” he said.

Commenting on the victory of the Malaysian contingent at the SEA Games in their own backyard, Najib described it as the country's greatest achievement in the Games and hoped that more winning streaks will be set at the ASEAN Para Games which would begin here on Sept 17.

Referring to the latest developments and progress in the country, the prime minister said the government would continue to prioritise people-oriented projects such as the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), East Coast Rail Link, Pan-Borneo Highway and the High Speed Rail (from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore).

“Any kind of issue pertaining to the cost of living would certainly become the priority of Your Majesty's government so that the people will not be burdened by the ongoing fast paced development in the country,” he said.

Najib had also update His Majesty on the country’s latest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which recorded a growth of 5.8 per cent in the second quarter of this year, one of the highest in the world.

He also updated the position of Bank Negara's international reserves which has now increased to RM431 billion, an ever-strengthening volume.

The Prime Minister also cited several international accolades including from Forbes magazine which placed Malaysia at the forefront of all Asian countries for foreign investments while international rating agency Fitch Ratings also maintained Malaysia's credit rating at A- with a stable outlook.

“What’s important is that all the facts and figures are not just for us to feel good about ourselves as being suggested by irresponsible quarters. Clearly, these facts were validated by reputable bodies (or organisations),” he said.

In addition, Najib also said that the government would continue to play an active role in helping the Rohingya minority in Myanmar and will take the issue to the United Nations and and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to put an immediate stop to the inhumane acts on the community.

-- BERNAMA