Najib: Malaysia set to meet 2020 targets

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is on track to become a high-income and developed nation by 2020, with it successfully meeting Government Transformation Programme (GTP) targets.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak said to address the rising cost of living, the government had mitigated it with the distribution of Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) cash assistance and student-focused aid vouchers.
"The government has distributed the BR1M assistance to all Malaysians earning RM3,000 per month and below for 2013, benefiting over 4.8 million households," he said, adding that the continued expansion of its network of 1Malaysia shops and 1Malaysia clinics had also helped to manage the rising cost of living.
On urban public transport, he said, there was now better connectivity within the city and between nearby municipalities so that people can choose public transport over other modes.
"One of the GTP 2.0 initiatives is the free Go-KL city bus service introduced in 2012 which helps 18,000 rakyat daily get around the central business district thus decongesting city roads during peak hours," he said.
The new six-car sets for the KTM Komuter service have also helped to improve the waiting time from 30-45 minutes to 15 minutes. Other improvements include better integration of transport modes, where commuters can use more than one mode of public transport, with minimal hassle.
In making this announcement at the launch of the Annual Report of the National Transformation Programme (NTP) at Angkasapuri, Najib said: "Indeed, I am delighted to announce that GTP targets are not only being met but are, in some cases, delivered ahead of schedule. This is excellent news for the country. The GTP is about delivering better government for the rakyat and it is doing just that."
The GTP was developed to make the government more responsive to the needs of the rakyat. It remains a key instrument of the NTP in achieving the nation's socio-economic goals and obtain developed nation status by 2020.
Najib said when the government embarked on the GTP four years ago, they were aware of the amount of work and commitment needed.
"The achievements of the GTP to date are a testament to the dedication of all involved," he said. On reviewing the GTP's results for 2013, he was pleased to see that they have continued to build upon past successes.
The other areas where Malaysians should be happy about is in the fields of education, crime and corruption. Malaysia has made a bold stride forward in education ambitions by putting in place a 12-year programme, with the launch of the Malaysian Education Blueprint last year, which is designed to place our education system on equal footing with the best in the world by 2025.
On crime, the launch of Operasi Cantas Khas last Aug 17 showed signs of success with violent crime cases falling by 30% in its first 52 days of execution.
Transparency International's latest result shows the country is up a notch in the Corruption Perception Index in 53rd spot from 54th in 2012 proving efforts to eradicate corrupt practices are improving.