GOVT WILL ENSURE ECONOMIC GOALS ARE ACHIEVED, SAYS MINISTER

SUBANG JAYA (Selangor, Malaysia), July 19 (Bernama) -- The government will ensure all goals set under various economic plans are achieved despite the renewed uncertainities in the United States and Europe due to their financial crises.

"The (crises in US and Europe) will not cause us too many problems but they will certainly be a constraint," Minister in the Prime Minister Department, Nor Mohamed Yakcop, said at the 'Seminar on Best Practices in Construction Industry' here Tuesday.

He said said the US' debt and deficit had become polemic now, while
the problem in Greece has burdened the European Union and no solution has yet to be found.

However, Nor Mohamed said, Malaysians had to work harder to overcome the difficulties of economic environment which was not very benign.

Nor Mohamed said the government's gross domestic product growth forecast for this year of between five to six per cent remained on track as the projection was made based on unfavourable world economic environment.

"When we plan our economy all these have been taken into consideration and our focus now and for many years to come is to strengthen our export-oriented and international competitiveness," he said.

He said exporters should show their brilliance and true capabilities to maintain the country's status as an excellent export centre amid stiff competition from other countries.

"More local companies should aim to become regional players and slowly compete with their peers globally in order to gain revenue from overseas," he said.
-- BERNAMA