Reform programmes that serve people well to continue - PM Najib

The government will continue its reform programmes which have been hailed by experts around the world to have served the people and to ensure that Malaysia continues its journey towards becoming a high-income nation, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Najib said he would do his best for the nation although it was always a challenge for him as prime minister.

"I will not shed from my responsibility for as long as the people want me to continue to lead this country. I will do my best.

"I ensure you there is a fair government and a government which will steer towards a better nation," he said in his keynote address at the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (NCCIM) Economic Forum 2017, here, today.

However, the prime minister said the government would not be a populist government just to win favour or support from the people.

"But we don't mind you supporting us for the next general election," he said.

Najib said it was difficult for him to fulfil all requests from various parties or people who came with high hopes when meeting him including at his office in Parliament building.

But the prime minister said people should be mindful that he would not always be able to realise the expectations of those hoping to see whatever they wanted to be approved.

"That is always a challenge of holding this office," he said, vowing nonetheless that he would do his best for the country.

In his speech, Najib also touched on the 2050 National Transformation (TN50) plan with the general goal of positioning Malaysia as a top-20 country in the world by 2050.

"We have been taking a bottom-up approach instead of a top-down one in drawing up the TN50 implementation plan because we want the new vision to be felt by the people - for it to be theirs.

"I welcome all your suggestions and I encourage you to think outside the box in helping us realise collectively our plan and mission for the future," he said.

Najib also took a swipe at opposition politicians who were scaremongering and spreading lies for their own selfish political reasons.

He said they did so because they did not have the good of Malaysia and its people at heart.

"And let me also remind you that the same opposition politicians who warn about Chinese investments are the same politicians who want to abolish the Goods and Services Tax (GST) - with no answers at all about how they would find the RM41 billion in revenue that GST brought in last year," he said.

-- BERNAMA