August 02, 2009 18:32 PM
1Malaysia Concept Strategically Important For Nation, says PM
MUAR, Aug 2 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the 1Malaysia concept needed to be seen as strategically important for the nation especially in expanding relations with new world economic centres like China and India.
According to the Prime Minister, the 1Malaysia concept could be looked at from various dimensions, among them national unity and the nation's strategic interests.
"Through the 1Malaysia concpet, foreign countries can see Malaysia as one which is multi-ethnic. They can identify with Malaysia's pluarity through 1Malaysia," he told a press conference at Kompleks Seri Pekembar, Pagoh here Sunday.
Najib, who is also Umno president, said this after opening Pagoh Umno's annual delgates meeting which was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. Muhyiddin is also the division's chief.
Najib said besides China and India and countries in the Middle East and Southeast Asia would also emerge as new economic powers in the world in the short and medium term.
He said although the world was facing an economic crisis now, China was able to record a high growth rate of 7.6 per cent and that the same was happening in India.
Middle East countries, he said, had excess capital now which could be invested in Malaysia while Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia were of very high economic importance to the country.
The Prime Minister said, because of the global economic meltdown, the United States (US) could no longer be able to be a big consumer market like before and the situation was compounded by problems in its financial systems.
"Though this is the case, we must still continue economic relations with the US and Europe, but we should not be over reliant on them," he said.
Najib also said tomorrow he would be announcing the names of those appointed to the board of EKUINAS (Ekuiti Nasional), an investment body set up by the government to help bumiputeras expand equity ownership.
-- BERNAMA
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