MALAYSIA NOT FACING DOUBLE-DIP RECESSION, SAYS NOR MOHAMED

KUALA LUMPUR, July 6 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian economy is on the right
track towards achieving the projected annual six per cent growth, according to
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nor Mohamed Yakcop.

As such, Malaysia is also not expected to face a double-dip recession
despite a "not so well performance" in the second quarter, he said.

"We certainly can achieve the six per cent (growth). The six per cent has
also taken into account that the second quarter may not be as good as the first
quarter," he told reporters after launching the Population and Housing Census
Malaysia 2010 here today.

He was asked to comment on Prime Minister Najib Razak's statement this
morning that there could be a possible slowdown in the second half of the year.

Malaysia registered a 10.1 per cent gross domestic product (GDP) growth in
the first quarter this year, the highest since the first quarter of 2000.

Nor Mohamed said optimism was also boosted by the regional economy which had
been doing well.

"We certainly don't see a double-dip recession in the horizon," he said.
-- BERNAMA