Najib: Be prepared for tougher times next year

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak advised Malaysians to be prepared to face more difficult times next year.
Najib, who is also Finance Minister, said on Wednesday it was important for all Malaysians to work together to face the challenges that might come.
"I don't have crystal ball that can tell me what lies ahead but next year will definitely not be as good as this year.
"We (government) admit this and it means we are realistic.
“Because of our economy's inherent strength, we should be able to ride out the economic storm next year and if the external economy recovers, there is a possibility 2010 will be better than 2009.
Najib said this at a special interview with Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) on Wednesday on the fiscal stimulus package for Budget 2009 that was announced by him in Parliament on Tuesday.
Najib said cooperation for the government from the people, nongovernmental organisations, political parties including from the opposition was vital to meet the challenges.
He believed if this was done, it would be easier for Malaysia to weather the economic crisis the world was facing now.
On differing views about the stimulus package, he said the government, as a caring one, could not adopt a laissez faire attitude.
"This means we have to take intervention steps and proactive measures to avert negative consequences that will cause hardship to the people like reduction in spending power, retrenchment, lack of job opportunities and the like," he said.
He did not deny the recent drop in oil and commodity prices would exact a toll on the economy and, if the government did not intervene with the stimulus package, the overall economy might be even more badly affected.
He also said the government was credible in presenting facts because they had been studied in depth and scrutinised and could be substantiated.
He said international organisations would surely criticise the government if it had no credibility.
"We scrutinise the facts we present, we study them in depth and we can substantiate them," he said in response to a member of the interview panel who had said there were claims the facts he presented were incorrect.
On public transportation, Najib said there were many weaknesses and it needed to be brought under one management authority.
He said the proposed Public Transportation Commission would be able to look into the more holistic and comprehensive needs of the service in the cities, including Kuala Lumpur.
"In terms of public transportation, we have allocated RM500 million under the stimulus package for immediate improvement of the light rail transit system and bus services.
"This means that where we need to expand immediately, we will do that," he said.
However, he said, the RM500 million was not allocated to set up the commission.
Commenting on whether the stimulus package, which aims to raise the disposable income, would also be extended to non-salaried people, he said the RM200 million allocated for the microcredit scheme was for this category of people.
"This means there is an extension of the access to micro credit. Therefore, small traders are also given consideration in this fiscal stimulus package," he said.
Farmers and fishermen had ongoing programmes by the Agriculture and Agrobased Industry Ministry, he said. Asked of the possibility of the government reducing the number of migrant workers, he said the government had such an objective in mind.
He said the Industrialised Building System (IBs) could reduce the number of workers by 60 per cent. - Bernama

tunku : agreed, we malaysian,must be prepared for tougher times ahead of us but above all the government should be prepared to the fullest and protect our economy.government must not spend unnecessarily.cut down expenses especially during functions etc.show to the rakyat that you means business.