Think of increasing income instead of depending fully on govt - PM Najib

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said today in line with Malaysia's development towards becoming a developed nation, the people must think of ways to increase income instead of depending fully on the government's intervention to control the market.

The Prime Minister said the government would continue to assist in various ways, but the people at the same time must endeavour to increase income and sharpen whatever skills they had.

"The government has provided numerous facilities to improve their knowledge and obtain business funds in order to increase their income.

"As an example, programmes such as TEKUN, MARA, TERAJU, SUPERB, 1Malaysia Hawkers' Programme, Youth Economic Fund, Income Raising Programme and many others," he said in his latest blog entry.

Najib said the government had also assisted in creating job opportunities such as introducing the 1Malaysia Training Scheme, Bumiputera Education Steering Foundation and 1Azam.

The Prime Minister said the cost of living frequently became a hot issue not only in Malaysia but all over the world due to the global economic recession currently.

As such, he said, the government had long introduced two ways of overcoming the cost of living problem by increasing income and reducing the cost of goods.

"Although the government had given subsidies and implemented the reduction in the cost of essential items, however, what is more important is to raise income as this would guarantee better living standard in the long term," he said.

As such, he advised Malaysians to rise up and endeavour to improve their personal performance.

-- BERNAMA