MALAYSIANS SHOULD CONTRIBUTE TO SUPPORT THE TRANSFORMATION, SAYS NAJIB

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 20 (Bernama) -- Every Malaysian should work together and
contribute to support the transformation of the country to achieve a developed
nation status in the 21st century, said Prime Minister Najib Razak.

The Prime Minister said when he articulated the concept of 1Malaysia, he had
decided that all Malaysians had to be part of the 'journey' to achieve the
remarkable transformation of the country.

"National unity is not just about accepting and celebrating diversity. In the
multi-religious cultural context, diversity also means we recognise the strength
of each community," he said during his speech at the 1Malaysia Malayali
Community Luncheon at the Mines International Exhibition and Convention Centre
(MIECC), Seri Kembangan, near here Sunday.

He said with the skills, contribution, knowledge, ideas and the innovative
capacities of every single Malaysian and the spirit of 1Malaysia, it was not
impossible for Malaysia to achieve the target by the year 2020.

"We want to be part of the huge transformation of Malaysia, so that at the end
of the journey, we want to be a modern, progressive, dynamic and truely
successful 21st century nation called Malaysia," he said.

He also said that knowledge and some of universal values would hold Malaysia in
a good position to move forward as one nation.

For example, he said the Malayalis community was really committed towards
education, where in Kerala, India, for example, they placed education at the
forefront of their personal agenda.

"The acquisition of knowledge and some universal values, will hold us in good
stead as we move forwards as one nation," he said.

Najib said the government had designed programmes -- the Government
Transformation Programme (GTP), Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) and New
Economic Model (NEM) -- to transform Malaysia into a high income nation, but it
would not be meaningful unless there was a notion of being inclusive.

"Inclusive means we have to make sure that our policies benefit all
Malaysians, we have to ensure that the system is fair, we have to ensure that every
single Malaysian can realise their potential talent to the maximum, and inclusive
within the context of 1Malaysia also means that we can take it up even further at a
strategic level," he added.

Najib also said that the Malayalis community in Malaysia had played an important
part in contributing to the development of Malaysia since the 19th century.

"There are some distinguished contributions by the Malayalis over the years. The
Malayali community contributed in many ways such as in plantation, trading,
entrepreneurs, also created history for our rubber industry, as union leaders,
doctors and also civil servants.

"On behalf of the government, I wish to say thank you to all Malayalis who had
contributed to the development of Malaysia. I hope through AMMA (All Malaysia
Malayali Association), you will continue to work for the well being of the
community and also for the larger of the Malaysian community," he added.
-- BERNAMA



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