Moving forward with innovation

Looking forward: Najib is eager to see what the next generation of innovators can come up with.

 

Innovation is what drives progress and the potential for our nation to profit from it is huge.

 

IT is just four days into January, so I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year. Many people are probably trying to uphold the various New Year resolutions they have made. I know this is hard and I wish them every success in implementing their pledges. Over the years, I have learnt that the way to keep a resolution is to take it seriously, prioritise and dedicate time and effort to the task in hand.
The same is true of government policy. Things don't just happen by themselves there is a lot of blood, sweat and tears involved in implementing reforms.

A key policy of our government is turning Malaysia into a nation focused on innovation you could call this my ongoing “resolution”.

Indeed, one of the focuses of this year's Budget is “Inculcating Inno-vation, Increasing Productivity”.

You may well ask whether there are more immediate and tangible matters that the Government should be addressing. As in any country, we have problems and priorities that require focused attention and swift action. But we must also make time for longer-term goals and fostering an “innovative nation” is one of them.

Innovation is one of the driving forces behind a modern high-income economy. Coming up with new ideas and products and bringing them successfully to market not only makes our businesses more competitive, it also makes our economy stronger and more able to compete in the global marketplace.

The world is constantly seeking newer and better technologies. 

PM pleased with response to RM200 smartphone rebate

Najib said the move would encourage Malaysians to communicate more.

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3 – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is pleased to see that the RM200 smartphone rebate promised in the 2013 Budget is a hit.

Najib, in his latest tweet today, said the move would encourage Malaysians to communicate more.

“Pleased to see RM200 smartphone rebate promised in 2013 Budget is a hit. It means we can all be more connected,” he said.

The prime minister also asked his twitter followers on the smartphone models that they would choose.

Such tweet was retweeted more than 500 times in about 10 minutes with some twitter users responding and telling the prime minister their dream smartphones.

Yesterday the Cabinet had agreed not to set a price limit on the smartphones which could be purchased by youths aged between 21 and 30 and earning less than RM3000 to be eligible for the RM200 government rebate.

The rebate is implemented under the Youth Communication Package, following the announcement by the prime minister when tabling the 2013 Budget last September. – Bernama

 (Source: The Malaysian Insider Website)

Najib wishes all the best to tertiary students sitting for exams

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Razak today wished all the best to undergraduates of institutions of higher learning now sitting for their examinations. The prime minister said he would always pray for their success.

"All the best to undergraduates of institutions of higher learning sitting for examinations.

"I will always pray for your success," he said in his latest tweet. -- BERNAMA

(Source: www.nst.com.my)

1Pakej Komunikasi Belia

New Year Message Twitter @NajibRazak

		Mohd Najib Tun Razak
		@NajibRazak
Selamat tahun baru 2013 kepada semua. Marilah bersama saya menanam azam untuk menjadikan Malaysia yg lebih baik. http://bit.ly/Perutusan2013PM
31 Dec 12

Follow Mohd Najib Tun Razak in Twitter @NajibRazak

Mohd Najib Tun Razak

@NajibRazak

Tahniah kepada Datuk Nicol David yg merupakan kbanggaan 1Msia. Kejayaan anda menjadi juara Dunia yg ke-7 ini diharap menjadi inspirasi semua

23 Dec 12

BR1M 2.0 : A cheerful new year gift

A good news for many Malaysians – the payment of the 1Malaysia People’s Aid 2.0 (BR1M 2.0) will begin in February this year.

In an announcement by the Second Finance Minister Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah on Monday, it was revealed that the RM3 billion allocation is expected to benefit 4.3 million households and 2.7 million single unmarried individuals aged 21 and above.


The one-off payment of RM500 would be handed to household with a monthly income of less than RM3,000 whilst single unmarried individuals earning less than RM2,000 were eligible to receive RM250.

Those who have been left out of last year’s handouts were urged to apply for BR1M now, including those who did not apply for the payment.

Ahmad Husni said 2,684,916 new applications for BR1M 2.0 had been received up to now, with 1,823,039 of them being from single unmarried individuals and 861,877 from households.

“The government encourages more single unmarried individuals to apply for BR1M 2.0. Registration will be open until a date to be announced,” he said.

In 2012, 4.2 million people benefited from the BR1M payment, involving an allocation of RM2.1 billion.

(Source: www.nambikei.com)

Perutusan Sempena Tahun Baru 2013

Alhamdullilah, beberapa jam lagi kita akan menyambut tahun baru 2013. Sebagai rakyat Malaysia kita perlu bersyukur kerana kita akan menyambut tahun baru ini dengan berlatarbelakangkan pelbagai kejayaan dan pencapaian yang telah kita tempa dengan berkat usaha bersama di sepanjang Tahun 2012.

Tahun 2012 telah menyaksikan tamatnya fasa pertama Prakarsa Transformasi yang melibatkan lapangan Kerajaan, Ekonomi dan Politik. Kesan inisiatif ini amat positif. Di peringkat antarabangsa misalnya, angka tunjuk negara dalam pelbagai bidang telah meningkat secara yang membanggakan. Laporan Bank Dunia, “Doing Business 2013” misalnya, telah meletakkan Malaysia sebagai negara ke-12 paling mudah berurus niaga di dunia manakala laporan
“World Competitiveness Yearbook 2012” telah menempatkan Malaysia sebagai negara ke-14 paling berdaya saing di dunia. 

Rakyat Malaysia Yang DiKasihi,

3. Dalam menangani cabaran yang bakal mendatang untuk Tahun 2013, serta dalam rangka membina kejayaan yang berterusan, kita perlu mengambil iktibar dan pengajaran dari pengalaman yang lalu. Apa yang baik dan telah terbukti berjaya perlulah kita teruskan dan tambahbaik dengan segala kelemahan yang ada dibaiki. Sementara apa yang terbukti gagal patut ditamatkan dan diambil teladan daripadanya. Untuk meneruskan usaha bagi memastikan wawasan nasional Malaysia sebagai sebuah negara maju berpendapatan tinggi akan tercapai, kita perlu membina di atas asas yang telahpun diletakkan melalui lembayung Dasar Transformasi Nasional.

4. Bagi Tahun 2013, kita perlu meneruskan agenda nasional bagi mengukuhkan perpaduan Kebangsaan yang merupakan teras kelangsungan negara dengan berpandukan Falsafah 1Malaysia Rakyat Didahulukan, Pencapaian Diutamakan.

5. Kedua, meneruskan usaha untuk meningkatkan kesejahteraan rakyat dengan sistem jaringan keselamatan sosial di mana setiap rakyat Malaysia yang memerlukan bantuan akan memperolehnya, di mana bantuan kebajikan dan subsidi adalah disasarkan kepada yang benar-benar memerlukan dan diperkukuhkan lagi dengan jaringan kebajikan institusi keluarga, korporat dan keagamaan.

Najib's New Year message

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 31 (Bernama) -- Following is the English translation of the full text of the 2013 New Year Message of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak:

In a few more hours we will welcome the new year 2013. As Malaysians, we should be thankful that we will be celebrating the advent of the new year against the backdrop of our various successes and achievements through our combined efforts during 2012.

The year 2012 witnessed the end of the first phase of the Transformation Initiative involving the Government, Economic and Political sectors. This initiative has had most positive effects. At the international level, for example, there has been an encouraging increase in the country's indices in various sectors.

The World Bank report, Doing Business 2013, for example, has placed Malaysia as the 12th most business-friendly country in the world while the report of the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2012 has placed Malaysia as the 14th most competitive country in the world.

In addressing the challenges ahead for Year 2013, and in order to build sustainable success, we need to learn from our past experiences. We have to carry on with and improve on what is good and has proven to be successful by rectifying all weaknesses.

What has proven to have failed should be discarded and regarded as a lesson. In order to continue our efforts to achieve Malaysia's national vision of a high-income developed nation, we have to build on the foundation that has been laid through the National Transformation Policy.

For the year 2013, we need to proceed with the national agenda to strengthen national unity, which is the core of the nation's perpetuity, based on the 1Malaysia Philosophy of People First, Performance Now.

Secondly, we have to continue our efforts to improve the well-being of the people through the social safety net system whereby every Malaysian who needs aid will get it, where welfare and subsidy assistance are targeted at the truly needy, and reinforced by the welfare net of family, corporate and religious institutions.

Thirdly, we have to increase the wealth of the nation by ensuring sustainable economic growth and fiscal health, and stimulate the social movement rooted in hope, where the achievement of an individual is limited only by the imagination, entrepreneurship and the extent of the individual's willingness to work hard and where the creativity, innovation and willingness to take risks will bring lucrative gains.

Najib outlines vision for 2013 with eye on election

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has called on Malaysians to stand by him and work together to ensure a brighter outlook for Malaysia in 2013.

In his New Year's address, the Prime Minister outlined the Government's major plans for the year to strengthen unity, improve social welfare, ensure economic growth and make Malaysia a better place to live in.

“Join me to turn these wishes into reality.

“Stand by me so that together we can ensure success in moving and working together to create the best possible future for our country and children,” he said.

Najib said the Government would not be able to provide the best service without the people's support and urged Malaysians to give a clear mandate to him and the Barisan Nasional coalition.

Referring to the general election that will be held this year, Najib said the country's future was too valuable to gamble with or to be turned into a subject of an experiment at the polls.

The Prime Minister said continuous effort and a clear direction was needed to build a nation but it takes only a short time to destroy it.

“The decision on how the future of the country is to be shaped and where Malaysia is to be taken lies in our hands.

“Today, this responsibility lies on our shoulders; whether Malaysia continues to move forward or back.”

In 2013, Najib said the country needed to further strengthen national unity, a core agenda under the “1Malaysia People First, Performance Now” philosophy.

Najib also pledged to improve the social network system to ensure the targeted assistance reached Malaysians in need of aid and subsidies.

Increasing the country's wealth by ensuring sustainable economic growth and fiscal health would also be a priority.

Najib said the Government would also focus its efforts this year to cut crime, protect the environment, improve health services as well as the quality of schools and other academic institutions.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in his New Year message said the arrival of 2013 meant that Malaysia had seven years left to achieve developed nation status.

“As a result of transformation programmes by Barisan under the leadership of Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak as well our unity, Malaysia is on a solid footing to emerge as a developed country,” he said.

Muhyiddin urged Malaysians to preserve their unity, peace and harmony as a foundation to build greater success.

(Source: The Star Online)