GOVT COMMITTED TO CONTINUING WITH REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN

PEKAN (Malaysia), Aug 4 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak
said Tuesday the government is committed to continuing with the regional
development plan for the country.

He said that the development, which involved the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP)
and 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP), would continue until 2020.

"Under the 9MP alone, the government has allocated an additional RM2 billion
(US$572.8 million) to carry out suitable projects," he said when opening the
East Coast Economic Region Special Economic Zone (ECER SEZ) at the Agropolitan
Town here. Pekan, is the royal town in Malaysia's east coast of Pahang, Najib's
home state.

He said regional development was not a new concept but had been practised by
the country's second prime minsiter, the late Abdul Razak Hussein, and
modernised by Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

"I want to express my aspiration, as Abdullah's successor, for the corridor
development concept to be enjoyed here now," he said.

Najib said the concept had a huge impact, especially in generating wealth
which could be enjoyed equitably and comprehensively by all strata of the
society in line with the country's development.

He also said that regional development was in keeping with the 1Malaysia
concept which stressed social justice for all.

"The concept of regional development is not about a cluster which focuses on
investors only but a concept centred on the people, people first, from large
projects so that the ordinary folk can benefit," he said.

He said, for example, that the Agropolitan project could eradicate hardcore
proverty among 45,000 households nationwide by the end of next year.
-- BERNAMA