UMNO, BN will ensure Malaysia remains competitive for future generation - Najib

The UMNO and Barisan Nasional-led government has always adopted an approach that will turn Malaysia into a highly competitive country for the future generation to inherit, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said.

The Prime Minister said Malaysia's participation in the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), for example, was aimed at making the country a more competitive nation which would be able to compete with fellow ASEAN countries and other advanced nations.

"That is why we must not be fearful and should not be afraid if we are in AFTA. It is not like we cannot compete in the context of ASEAN.

"As for the TPPA, if Vietnam dares to compete, why should Malaysia be afraid?...we must be bold in competing with any country, he said at the closing of the National Undergraduates Leadership Conference (Pemanas) here Sunday night.

Najib also stressed that Malaysia's participation in any international agreement was based on terms favourable to the nation and its people.

"I have told the United States President, Barack Obama, yes we want the TPPA but on our own terms and finally we got a very good deal...I will elaborate further on this at the upcoming UMNO General Assembly," he said.

The premier said Malaysia's development process so far had indeed been a success story which all Malaysians should be proud of, as it was much respected by the superpowers.

As such he said the people, especially undergraduates, should continue to have confidence in Malaysia's leadership and ensure that UMNO will continue being in power, as the opposition was not a suitable alternative to lead this country.

He said the Opposition was only using perception as their weapon especially in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) issue, to shake the people's faith in the government.

"They attack through war of perception, if we present the facts, logic and rational, they will lose because they are using lies as their weapons to fight," he said.