Work Hard To Make Malaysia A Developed Nation, Najib Tells Civil Servants

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 17 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak Tuesday asked civil servants to work hard to make Malaysia a developed nation that continues to be highly regarded by world leaders.

The prime minister said he was convinced that with the cooperation of the 1.4 million civil servants who support such an aspiration, Malaysia would progress into the desired high-income developed nation.

He said he wanted the world leaders whom he meets, such as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, President Xi Jinping of China and President Barack Obama of the United States, to respect Malaysia as a nation which is gradually progressing into a developed one that Malaysians can be proud of.

Najib said this in his speech when opening the 26th Triennial Convention of CUEPACS, in the capital.

The prime minister said the good relations and cooperation between civil servants and the government should be maintained, with both making the mission a commitment that had to be supported, appreciated and implemented for mutual benefit.

"Hopefully, this cooperation will make us a high-income developed nation. We no longer want people to underestimate us," he said.

Obama, who was scheduled to visit Kuala Lumpur to attend the 4th Global Entrepreneurship Summit on Oct 11 and 12, had to postpone the trip due to a 16-day US government shutdown.

Najib, when announcing the postponement on Oct 2, said Obama had said that he was committed to visiting Malaysia.