Togetherness we can strive for goal

In appreciation and recognition of much efforts for success and achievement of 29th SEA Game put up by various quarters specially our athletes for our historical 145 gold in the overall medal tally, our Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, declared an additional national holiday on 4th September 2017 for all Malaysians. However, our Prime Minister implied that announcing an additional national day was not easy as there were too many public holidays in Malaysia.

To put it explicitly what meant by “not easy” by our Prime Minister, an additional day of national holiday meant an additional cost to private sectors and any impromptu announcement of an additional holiday might derail planned and schedule operations and business and executive activities.

Our open economy depends much on the foreign investments. With the implementation of Minimum Wages Order in July 2016, competition for foreign investments become tense and keen among the Sean countries. For the 2nd quarter 2017, Vietnam achieved and exceeded 6% in her economic growth while Thailand had shown solid economic performance at her faster speed in over the last 4 years with exports growing at a double-digit rate. For our country, IMF had projected our economic growth for year 2017 at 4.8% and clearly we lagged behind our neighbouring countries. Notwithstanding the present scenario, our economic growth can still be accelerated if cooperation and positive approach can be propelled by all quarters especially from political parties. Influx of foreign investments depend on many determinants, labour and wages are one of inclusive and deciding factors. Other determinants are political stability, non-ambiguous economic and financial policies and public confidence.

Upon conclusion of 29th SEA Games, Selangor Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, reiterated that Selangor had helped Malaysia hauling 145 gold medals. The statement from Datuk Seri Azmin Ali may be interpreted as with cooperation and coordination of all parties mindlessness of political differences, our country can achieve desired goal. However, since the emergence of a strong opposition alliance in our political scene, our political stability becomes challenging and fragile. Since 2008 after the opposition successfully established reckoning force in Malaysia political arena , we have come across many irresponsible statements and acts to undermine the political stability in our country which is one of the major factors for influx of foreign investments.

Malaysia is now mature enough by her age of 60. Similarly, our rakyat share the same view hoping that our politicians are mature too not to undermine our political stability en route for greater and faster economic advancement for the betterment of ours.