GOVT NEEDS PEOPLE'S SUPPORT TO EMPOWER ECONOMY - M'SIAN PM

KUALA TERENGGANU (Malaysia), Jan 16 (Bernama) -- The government needs the
people's support to ensure projects listed for implementation under the RM7
billion (US$2 billion) stimulus package are successful as they are vital to
protect the economy.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the package was for all Malaysians
and not to enrich a particular group of people.

"With the huge amount (allocated), we need your support because we work for
you. We don't disburse the money to only certain groups of people but we spread
it to all.

"What's the point of giving to make life comfortable of only certain people,
if want to lead an easy life, let everyone have an easy life," he said during a
breakfast meeting with Chinese voters.

Abdullah said that during the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the government
succeeded in improving the economy because the people provided the opportunity
to do so.

"We have RM7 billion now and the government wants to spend the money to
reinforce and make the economy more resilient. So, if anything happens, our
economny can withstand (the external challenges and pressures).

"People can say anything, but more importantly the government must take care
of the economy, we should not give problems (to the people)," he said.

The Prime Minister said the government had taken various measures to ensure
success of the economic stimulus package including asking civil servants to
improve efficiency and work quality to facilitate implementation of planned
projects.
"We want to see what we are doing is delivered in the best possible way and
opportunities available in the country are distributed fairly to all the races,
but it is important that all of us must cooperate and work together.

"If we cannot, then we cannot succeed," he said.

Abdullah said the government is still strong and has the capacity to
implement all the planned programmes eventhough there are claims that the ruling
Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition was weak.

"Who said the government is weak? We are not weak. Who said our people want
to run away to the opposition? They are the losers, why want to run to them?

The Prime Minister said eventhough BN had problems, each of its component
parties managed to overcome their problems as they worked as one and they worked
hard.

What was important said Abdullah was for everyone to be tolerant, moderate
and work hard to preserve stability for the nation to progress.
-- BERNAMA