GOVT HOPEFUL ECONOMY BACK ON TRACK IN 2010

PUTRAJAYA, June 11 (Bernama) -- The government is hopeful that the economy
will be back on track with reasonable growth next year, Prime Minister, Najib
Razak said Thursday.

He said the RM67 billion worth of stimulus package announced by the
government would provide full impetus for the country's economy in the second
half of the year.

The stimulus package is expected to give 1-2 percent additional growth for
the nation, he said in his opening remark at the 2010 Budget Consultation
meeting, here, Thurday.

"The third quarter of this will see a marginally negative growth and fourth
quarter to see a positive growth," said Najib, who is also the Finance Minister.

Malaysia's first quarter gross domestic product this year contracted by 6.2
percent from a growth of 0.1 percent in the fourth quarter last year, due to
significant deterioration in external demand following the deepening recession
in advanced economies.
-- BERNAMA