KANGAR, April 27 — Efforts to improve the capacity of Technical and Vocational Education and Training and mastery of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics among youth are necessary to build Malaysia’s domestic economic resilience.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the digital, engineering, and artificial intelligence (AI) fields, as well as approaches to keep up with economic developments, must be prioritised to give Malaysia the ability to achieve this goal.
“God willing, we will build domestic economic resilience… enter the fields of engineering, AI, digital and follow economic developments, and not be dragged into issues that can break and weaken us, such as listening to quarrelsome talks, which spew hatred.
“We have the strength to build this country. In 10 years, 20 years, where do we want to take the people and children? Think about the future; do we want to quarrel about race or interpretation, or raise our dignity so that together, we can become part of a developed country and be strong in the face of current tests,” he said.
Anwar was speaking at the Perlis-level Aidilfitri Madani 2025 celebration at Dataran Lok 9, Kuala Perlis, near here today. Also present were Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail and Raja Perempuan of Perlis Tuanku Tengku Fauziah Almarhum Tengku Abdul Rashid.
Also attending the ceremony were Raja Muda of Perlis Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail and Raja Puan Muda of Perlis Tuanku Hajah Lailatul Shahreen Akashah Khalil.
Also present were Perlis Menteri Besar Mohd Shukri Ramli and Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
Meanwhile, Anwar, who is also finance minister, said funds channelled by the federal government to Perlis from 2022 to 2024 were 65 per cent higher at RM645.58 million last year, from RM596.82 million in 2023 and RM391.91 million in 2022.
Regarding the Basic Rahmah Contribution Programme (SARA) in Perlis, he said the beneficiaries of the programme had increased to 62,292 people as of April compared to 25,682 recipients last year.
Earlier, the Prime Minister chaired a special state development meeting with the Perlis Menteri Besar and the leadership of the state and federal governments at the Perlis State Development Office here.
Through his Facebook post, Anwar, among others, said the government machinery at all levels must expedite the approval and implementation of projects without being hampered by bureaucratic red tape.
“I have instructed agencies to tighten monitoring of projects and not hesitate to punish those who delay them to the detriment of the people.
“The Perlis Menteri Besar then presented several state development priorities, covering basic infrastructure such as roads, flood control, tourism, ports and education,” he said.
Anwar said among the projects raised were the development of Sanglang port, the reconstruction of SK Chuping, the completion of the abandoned Sekolah Sukan Malaysia Perlis project and the Chuping flood reservoir upgrade project.
The Prime Minister said he had ordered the reconstruction of SK Chuping to start this year, while the Sekolah Sukan Malaysia Perlis project, which has been abandoned for 12 years, must be handed over to a capable government company.
“The federal and state government machinery must dare to think outside the old framework to break the deadlock, speed up the resolution of the people’s problems, and build a resilient economic bulwark, thus raising the dignity of the people and the country on the world stage,” he said
— Bernama
