Security, welfare of the people come first - PM Najib

Thanking the police and armed forces for their huge efforts in maintaining public order and security, the Prime Minister gave his assurance that the government would remain vigilant over security matters.

"We suffered our first Daish-linked attack in June, and only the tireless dedication of our brave police and armed services have prevented there being more," he said in his New Year Message 2017.

The Prime Minister said the government and security forces would continue to protect Sabah, especially the Eastern Sabah Security Zone, from the threats posed by terrorists and kidnappers.

On the international front, he said Malaysia would not shy away from speaking out on and playing an active role in bringing attention to global issues that mattered.

The Prime Minister cited as examples the ethnic Rohingya situation and the quest for peace in the Middle East, including Palestine.

Najib, who is also Finance Minister, also said that Malaysia's growth must be sustainable and shared equitablly.

He pointed out that large-scale infrastructure projects across the country would help the government achieve this aim.

Najib said the implementation and delivery of projects such as Rapid Pengerang in Johor, Malaysia Vision Valley (MVV), Bandar Malaysia, Tun Razak Exchange (TRX), the Pan Borneo Highway, East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) and the High Speed Rail (HSR) would bring employment, stimulate local economies and make a tangible improvement in the lives of citizens.

"The Pan Borneo Highway, for instance, will not only connect Serundong in Sabah to Semantan in Sarawak but also help re-energise numerous towns along the way," he said.

"I'm determined to see this project through as I know the sheer number of communities, many of whom I have visited, that will benefit from it," Najib said.

He also spoke about phase one of the Kuala Lumpur MRT launched recently - on time and below budget - and phase three of the LRT which had already commenced.

"Malaysia desperately needs this new infrastructure, and it should have been built long ago," he said.

The Prime Minister paid tribute to all Malaysians for supporting Team Malaysia at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

"While all of our athletes are worthy of mention, to have won our first two gold medals was a truly historic achievement and one which swelled the hearts of all Malaysians," he said.

"The sporting heroics may have been achieved in Rio de Janeiro, but I took an equal amount of pride in the way that all Malaysians - in cities and kampungs across this great land of ours - came together in support of the national team. It truly was a reflection of 1Malaysia," Najib said.

He noted that that moment encapsulated who Malaysians were when they were at their best.

"That's who we must be as we look to the future, to our 2050 National Transformation policy (TN50) and the nation we aspire to be by the middle of this century.

"A nation confident in ourselves, celebrating our diversity, proud of our successes and always looking to ensure that all our brothers and sisters are fully part of this great journey that Malaysia is on," he said.