The prime minister said, he believed in building a knowledge-based economy as one way for Malaysia to achieve sustainable growth and remain globally competitive.
"We will continue to put in place, the policies and investments that support a knowledge-based economy: in science and technology, in research and development, and in information technology infrastructure.
"And, we will focus on the social impact of our policies, and be aware of our responsibility to ensure that the knowledge-based economy does not widen disparities between various sections of our society," he said at the Merdeka Award presentation ceremony in Dewan Filharmonik Petronas here Monday night.
Present were the Regent of Perak Raja Dr Nazrin Shah, who is also chairman of the Merdeka Award Board of Trustees, and his consort, Raja Puan Besar Perak Tuanku Zara Salim.
Najib's wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Petronas chairman Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan, and its president and oil company chief executive officer Tan Sri Shamsul Azhar Abbas, also attended the event.
Najib, who is also Merdeka Award patron, said as the nation sought to become fully developed by 2020, Malaysia must chart its own course to consolidate the gains it had made in healthcare, finance and energy, and continue economic reforms to unlock investment, and secure a greater share of the sectors and technologies of the future.
He said Malaysia's development depended on its ability to build an open, highly-skilled economy, and thus it must invest in one of its greatest assets, its people, as the country moved towards an economy with greater focus on technology and services.
"Just as Malaysia must be ready to compete within our region, so our workers, students and entrepreneurs must be able to hold their own on the world stage," he added.
Later, Najib presented the Merdeka Award to this year's recipients, academician Tan Sri Emeritus Professor Datuk Dr Augustine Ong Soon Hock, Tan Sri Professor Dr Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas and Dr Engkik Soepadmo.
Dr Ong, under the Health, Science and Technology category, is recognised for his outstanding contribution to the research and development of the chemistry and technology of palm oil, and for his significant role in advocating and promoting the Malaysian Palm Oil industry to the world.
Dr Syed Muhammad, under the Outstanding Scholastic Achievement category, was awarded for outstanding contribution in the area of Islamisation of Contemporary Knowledge and Muslim Education.
Dr Engkik, from the category of Outstanding Contribution to the People of Malaysia, received the award for outstanding contribution to the research and conservation of Malaysia's forest plant diversity.
Each of the recipients received a RM500,000 cash award, Merdeka Award trophy and the Merdeka Award Work of Art.
For this year, there is no award recipient in the Education and Community, and Environment categories.
This is the fifth year that the Merdeka Award has announced a group of recipients, following the establishment of the Merdeka Award in 2007.
Its first group of recipients was in 2008.
-- BERNAMA
(Source: Bernama.com)
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