Colombo, Nov 16 – Malaysia’s view on equitable development and empowering youths expressed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has drawn the attention of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2013, here on Friday.
Najib was given the opportunity to intervene in two discussion sessions with leaders of Commonwealth countries on “Growth with Equity, Inclusive Development” and dialogue with youth leaders.
During the discussion session on ” Growth with Equity, Inclusive Development,” he shared Malaysia’s development philosophy of “growth with equity” where it is inclusive, without marginalising any group.
He told Malaysian journalists here on Friday that equitable development should be used as a foundation for Commonwealth member countries.
The Commonwealth is seeing imbalance development with 48 member countries categorised as developing, 14 countries as ‘least developing’ and 31 countries as ‘small and valnerable.’
“As a nation, we (Malaysia) believe in the market economy.. but market economy cannot distribute wealth fairly and equitably. The government has to intervene but the intervention does not reject the fundamental market economy.”
During the intervention, he shared Malaysia’s success in reducing poverty, raising social mobility based on the democratisation of education and a growing middle class.
While in the dialogue with youth leaders, Najib shared the ‘5E’ concept to empower young people in the country’s development via engagement, empowerment, employment, education and entreprenuership.
“The chairman responded to the ‘5E’ by calling on youth leaders to respond to all the ‘E’ mentioned,” he said.
– Bernama
