NAJIB'S WISH LIST FOR 2013

CHEERS....Prime Minister Najib Razak at one of Meet the People Session in Sabah.

IN HIS 2013 New Year message broadcast on radio and television, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak invited Malaysians to stand by his side in the new year to work with him to progress and form a good future for the nation.

The prime minister said without support and solid backing, the present government would not be able to serve the people of Malaysia well.

We need to ask ourselves what our options are to determine what we aspire to and what vision we have for the future, said the prime minister.

He said learning from our experiences will help us make the tough choices as well as get over the obstacles ahead.

"We must carry on and improve on what is good and proven to be successful. What is proven to have failed should be discarded and regarded as a lesson," he said.

Najib listed four basic elements in the National Transformation Policy that he said needed to be maintained and improved upon in order to ensure the national vision of becoming a developed nation with high income could be  fulfilled.

Firstly, he said, Malaysians need to forge national unity based on the 1Malaysia Philosophy of "People First, Performance Now". Secondly, we have to continue with our efforts to improve the well being of the people through the social safetynet system whereby every Malaysian who needs help will get help.

He said the efforts to improve the well being of the people are reinforced by the family welfare network , corporate and religious institutions which provide  welfare and subsidy assistance to those who really need help.

Thirdly, he said, the wealth of the nation must be increased by ensuring sustainable economic growth and fiscal health, helped by a system that provides an avenue to lucrative gains for those willing to work hard, are creative and innovative and  not afraid to take risks.

"Fourthly, we have to ensure that Malaysia is the best place to live in; the best place to have a family and raise children, a country that has a caring society, a strong family system, with feeling of neighbourliness and a sustainable environment, a country with quality schools and educational institutions as well as the best and affordable health care system," he added.

To end his message on a high note, Najib reminded the nation that the World Bank report, 'Doing Business 2013',  has placed Malaysia as the 12th most business friendly country in the world, while the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2012 has similarly rated Malaysia as the 14th most competitive country in the world. (Insight Sabah)