Don't talk about the problems outside, focus on the country's own improvement instead, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Speaking at the ACCCIM Chinese New Year Reception 2025 on Monday (Feb 3), Anwar emphasised that external challenges are beyond the government’s control and should not distract from efforts to strengthen Malaysia’s economy.
He called for bureaucrats, businesses, and academics to collaborate with political leaders, highlighting the need for a united approach to position Malaysia as a key economic player.
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Speaking at the ACCCIM Chinese New Year Reception 2025 on Monday (Feb 3), Anwar emphasised that external challenges are beyond the government’s control and should not distract from efforts to strengthen Malaysia’s economy.
He called for bureaucrats, businesses, and academics to collaborate with political leaders, highlighting the need for a united approach to position Malaysia as a key economic player.
Read more at https://tinyurl.com/3uc57mfy
WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news
SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar
LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline
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NewsTranscript
00:00Now, I'm stressing the importance of the entire team, the effort of political leaders, government
00:20ministers in particular, with the private sector, academicians, the professionals and
00:26experts in various fields. And clearly, the chamber and your team has an important role
00:38to give your views because of the, not only the uncertainties, but to ensure that we become
00:45the dynamo to propel the economy, attract investments, and ensure that we give our best.
00:56These adjustments are necessary. Well, they say because of the recent pronouncements by
01:02President Donald Trump, not necessarily so. In the economic term, there's always phases
01:10where there is this necessity to undertake some measures, changes, new technology.
01:23The AI dictate and demand us to make major adjustments in the entire system. Education.
01:31Now, we talk about data center and the AI, slow change in education, nothing in the public health
01:37sector, or no new incentives to allow Malaysia to become more attractive as an
01:52investment destination, that it will not work. So, it is more a systemic approach
01:59that requires the thinking, the expertise, the input of all. So, what I am trying to suggest
02:06is to appeal to all, to give your best, because this is an opportunity.
02:13Not always that political leadership takes a very open, liberal view to accept,
02:23to learn from one another, and to be considered to be part of this big team.
02:29And geopolitical conditions, other than AI, again dictate us to make the necessary adjustments.
02:36I've always felt that we must start at home, which means the political system,
02:45the issue of governance, all that needs to be done to ensure that we are efficient,
02:53we have clarity and correct policies, we have to do. Don't talk about problems outside.
03:01There are some issues that is beyond us, are somewhat unsurmountable,
03:09not within our means and capacity, but there are. What are those? The correct policy prescriptions.
03:19Are we making the right emphasis, focus on energy transition? Are we taking major
03:26measures to ensure that the digital transformation is working? Is AI going to give us the benefit?
03:36And are we prepared in terms of our educational strategy, our focus, our disbursement of funds,
03:43our training that can make us really an effective nation in terms of utilising this new technology?
03:56These are all issues that we need to hear, and then at a fast pace,
04:05take it up and make the necessary change. We don't have the luxury of time.
04:14We are not living in the 60s or 70s, and geopolitical dictates are sometimes beyond us,
04:23but the domestic policies and economy can be our major focus. I'm not saying that we can act
04:33independently, oblivious to the changes, no, but there are areas that we need to improve,
04:42including our level of efficiency, the fast track of approvals,
04:48cleaning up the mess, raiding the country of corruption and these abuses of commissions,
04:56making sure that decisions are made transparently. These things are within our means,
05:03and it takes the effort, the resolve of all of us, and that's why I'm suggesting again
05:18both the bureaucrats and the business community and the academia, together with the political
05:24leaders, to consider ourselves this new team of making this major breakthrough to ensure that
05:31Malaysia emerges as a very important economy, all within our means, accepting the fact that we are
05:39a relatively smaller country. But we have that capacity. I was very pleased, for example,
05:48with the exchanges that we have. We continue. With China, of course, excellent. Even the United
05:55States will continue to engage, contrary to some views. They will not know we are ambassadors here,
06:03and in Europe, it was an exceptional reception that we received. They agreed to proceed with
06:11this fast track FTA with the EU, which was certainly out of question in the last few years.
06:19With the UK, we had an excellent meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer,
06:24concluded the FTA with the UK, which means their investment, see our investment there,
06:31will benefit immensely through the sort of facilitation by the trade agreements.
06:39That we will do, and we will continue to do. And as I mentioned, the idea that we promoted
06:47to have ASEAN GCC with Chinese presence, and we are now thinking of opening up
06:57to allow participation of other countries, including the United States, the European Union.
07:06But the focus is, of course, the region. The region means ASEAN and our neighbours.
07:15And because of the reception and the friendship shown by China, we are reciprocating as great,
07:24trusted friends. You have seen, for example, the visit by Premier Lee Chiang,
07:33and the commitment that they give. Of course, we as a nation would welcome that.