PH Government's New Malaysia Based On Good Governance, Integrity, Says PM Mahathir

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 2 (Bernama) -- The Pakatan Harapan (PH or Alliance of Hope) government, which took over Putrajaya, the Malaysia’s federal administrative capital after winning the 14th General Election on May 9, 2018, is confident of its ability to transform the country towards a New Malaysia based on principles of justice, good governance, integrity and the rule of law. The new government will also adopt changes in policies, strategies and way of implementation to fulfill the people's expectation and to rebuild and restore the nation's glory, said Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad in the ''Economic Outlook 2019'' report, the first presented under the PH government. The 142-page report was released by the Ministry of Finance in Parliament on Friday. The 93-year old prime minister also said in attaining a developed and inclusive nation status, the government had implemented various reforms to enhance economic growth and the well-being of the people. In this regard, the government through the Ministry of Finance (MoF) is promoting efforts to create an entrepreneurial state and promote cooperation among the 4Ps, namely, People, Professionals, Private and Public to spearhead various national development initiatives. He added to enhance prudent fiscal management, the MoF would accelerate a zero-based budgeting system, rationalise assistance programmes, improve procurement processes and broaden the revenue base. Touching on Malaysia's aspiration to re-position its status internationally through active participation in the global community, Dr Mahathir said the country will continue to strengthen trade ties with major and potential trading partners through a conducive and business-friendly environment in line with the principles of Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality. “By upholding the principle of prosper-thy-neighbour, we will continue to emphasise on strengthening cooperation with ASEAN members, as well as, other regional trade blocs. “In addition, greater focus will be given to strengthening bilateral ties with China and Japan in line with the Look East Policy,” said Dr Mahathir. Meanwhile, in achieving the objectives outlined in Vision 2020, the prime minister said the government would ensure the Malaysian economy continues to be on a sustainable growth trajectory by providing a conducive and favourable environment to attract investors and businesses. “Hence, the industries should leverage these opportunities by embracing advanced technology to enhance productivity and competitiveness,” he added. The government also recognises the importance of the role of the young generation in driving future growth, as such, efforts will be undertaken to equip this generation to become a highly- and digitally-skilled workforce in tandem with the Industrial Revolution 4.0. “We believe this is the responsibility entrusted upon us. The government is confident that with the cooperation and support of the people, this responsibility will be carried out successfully to attain hopes of building a New Malaysia with dignity and integrity,” said Dr Mahathir. He reiterated that the support of a majority of Malaysians, that determined the success of PH in the 14th general election, was a remarkable achievement that will be part of the nation's history, thus, marking the first change of a ruling party's 61-years since independence. -- BERNAMA