Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said the nation may reach high-income status two years ahead of target, as he seeks to convince voters of his economic achievements before the election is due within weeks.
Gross national income (GNI) could rise to RM1,931 per capita (US$15,000) in 2018, earlier than the target of 2020, Najib said in a televised speech late yesterday. The measure has increased from 49 percent since 2009, to RM12,838 (US$9,970) last year, the government estimates. Najib also pledged to give annual cash handouts to low-wage earners.
“The time has come for Malaysians to make a decision and I hope you make the right choice,” said Najib, 59, without indicating when the election will be held. On that note, he must dissolve Parliament by April 28 and hold a vote by the end of June.
Najib, who inherited a country in recession when he replaced Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as its leader in 2009, is focusing voters on his efforts to boost investments and improve incomes as he seeks a popular mandate for the first time. The ruling BN coalition won the last election in 2008 by its narrowest margin in more than five decades, prompting Abdullah to hand over the leadership mid-term.
A nation is considered high income when GNI per capita meets or exceeds RM16,066 (US$12,476), according to the World Bank. In 1991, former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad laid out a 30-year plan known as ‘Vision 2020' aimed at earning Malaysia a high-income status by the end of the current decade.
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In keeping with a presidential approach to politics, Datuk Seri Najib Razak will table his Barisan Nasional’s (BN) report card of initiatives and achievements in a “State of the Union” speech tomorrow night, say government officials.
His party officials and critics have pointed to Najib’s presidential-style campaign since taking office in 2009 as a key factor to get votes in BN’s Election 2013 campaign. The election is expected to be held within a month.
Calling it a “State of Union” speech similar to that done in the United States, ministers and officials say Najib will speak on achievements made in both the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) and Government Transformation Programme (GTP) that began in 2010.
“There will be economic and social markers to show how far we have come under the ETP and GTP. That is BN’s track record,” a minister said.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator Datuk Seri Idris Jala had briefed senior editors and analysts last week on what Najib would touch on although the contents of the speech and report are embargoed until tomorrow night.
Najib himself has said he will need to show the report card for the ETP and GTP before calling elections to get his own personal mandate after taking over from Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in April 2009.
The country’s sixth prime minister has appeared to be brimming with confidence ahead of the polls, disclosing last week Malaysia’s Gross National Income (GNI) figures growing 49 per cent or US$6,670 (RM20,677) to US$9,970 between 2009 and 2011, although the numbers have been disputed.
While banking on economic figures to show progress under BN, Najib has also set several initiatives including cash handouts to the poor while focusing on creating jobs for the youths.
The prime minister’s initiatives have made him more popular than his party and government, with the latest Merdeka Center survey showing his approval ratings are at 61 per cent last month, down from 63 per cent last December.Both his government and party have been scoring just above 40 per cent approval ratings in similar surveys, reflecting his importance to BN’s efforts to regain its customary two-thirds majority lost in Election 2008.
“BN needs him more than ever. The winnable candidates will rely on Najib to pull through, not the other way round,” a senior BN politician told The Malaysian Insider, saying new faces will not have enough time to present their credentials to the voting public. “Elections are likely to be held within a month and with 222 federal seats that have more voters than ever, how to be popular? We have to depend on Najib and his economic figures,” the politician said, adding this reflected the prime minister’s presidential approach in carrying out his duties.“It depends on him so I hope we win big,” he added.
wawasan 2020 adalah wawasan yang sangat baik dan jika Najib mampu merealisasikannya lebih awal, tidak ada kata yang mampu diungkapkan betapa rakyat akan berterima kasih kepadanya.
Mungkin ramai yang anggap ini hanya taktik Najib meraih undi tapi percayalah tidak mungkin ada pihak yang mahu menjahanamkan negaranya sendiri kan.
Baguslah kalau dapat dicapai awal. Kalau tak pun asalkan wawasan 2020 tercapai tidak kira bila, pasti rakyat akan gembira juga.
Kestabilan ekonomi negara adalah amat penting kerana dengan ekonomi yang baik rakyat tetap akan hidup harmoni sebab tidak berlaku pengangguran yang mampu mencetuskan ketegangan.
All the best Najib. Siapa lagi yang boleh diandalkan oleh rakyat untuk membangunkan ekonomi negara selain daripada pemimpin no.1 negara ini.
teruskan usaha dalam memastikan matlamat dan visi kita akan tercapai
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said that the success enjoyed by Malaysia now was due to the policies adopted since Independence, including in opting for the concept of racial integration, and not assimilation.
He said the concept of integration emphasised by past leaders served as a unique path in uniting the people of various races through the Malaysian way.
"We allow various ethnic groups to enjoy their cultures and we are the only country in the world that recognised vernacular education," he said.
The prime minister said the concept of integration had to be nurtured, practised and made an inspiration in the lives of the people from all walks of life.
Apart from that, Najib said the success enjoyed by Malaysia today was a result of the perseverance in overcoming all challenges, including the Asian financial crisis in 1997 and 1998.
He said every challenges and obstacles that came should not weaken the country, instead made it stronger.
"We cope to recover (from) the darkest racial riot in May 13 1969 and the Asian financial crisis in 1997.
"We know who was the finance minister during that time. We also know who was responsible for cutting down the non performance loan, pushing interest rate above 40 per cent.
"We all know who was willing to surrender the sovereignty of Malaysia to the IMF (International Monetary Fund)," he added.
He called on the people to continue to support the present government under his leadership to ensure continuity in the country's development.
"If we want a steady progress this year, we must win. It is not for me, but for our beloved Malaysia," he added.
The Chinese are successful because Barisan Nasional (BN) has ensured harmony and implemented good policies since independence, Datuk Seri Najib Razak
“The Chinese community’s success is also because the government has created an environment that enables the Chinese to make a good living,” said Najib.
“If not for the success of BN leaders in maintaining harmony and implementing good policies, even if we were hardworking and had good business skills, we would never have been successful,” he added in front of a multi-racial crowd of thousands.
The Chinese community comprises most of the fence sitters who will determine the results of the coming national polls, which must be called by April, according to a University of Malaya Centre of Democracy and Election (UMCEDEL) survey released last month.
Out of 1,409 voters polled by the centre, the Chinese made up the majority of fence sitters at 53 per cent, while Malay and Indian voters stood at 37 per cent and 10 per cent respectively.
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