BUSINESS-GOV'T PARTNERSHIP TO MAKE MALAYSIA HIGH-INCOME NATION

SIBU (Sarawak, Malaysia), Dec 11 (Bernama) -- East Malaysia state of Sarawak
Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud has called on chambers of commerce, business
associations and guilds to come up with new ideas and work together closely with
the country's economic planners in the quest to make Malaysia a high-income
nation.

"All must engage with government institutions in order to be able to make the
move forward," he said when officiating at the 20th anniversary celebration of
the Federation of the Sarawak Chiang Chuan Associations, here Friday night.

Abdul Taib said the government had many schemes to assist the people, in terms
of finance and training, to cope with the many challenges the country might face
along the way to becoming a high-income nation.

"Our challenges will be in switching over to high management, high finance,
high-performing businesses and the era of giant companies," he said.

He said there were the many universities, institutes of management and various
training programmes for them which the government would expand upon.

Abdul Taib also said that it was futile for anyone to think they could get the
best out of the government by applying pressure and organising anti-government
demonstrations.

"If you choose to quarrel with the government or with your leaders, you can get
cut off and will never be able to use to the fullest all the preparations and
the plans we have to move the country forward economically," he said.

Emphasising the need for the people to continue to rally strongly behind the
government, he said the government would fail to function properly unless it had
a big majority (of electoral seats).

"If you have a weak government or a government of inexperienced people, everyone
will feel unsafe.

"It is very important that all will be part of this majority and part of the
working government. We can achieve this if we can unite, co-operate, agree with
and understand each other very well," he said.
-- BERNAMA