ALOR SETAR – Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the government intends to develop the nation by focusing on the agenda of ‘enriching the people’ through the creation of more job and business opportunities.
Dr Mahathir, who is also Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman, said this was to educate the people to be more independent and efficient in generating their own income through businesses as well as to help improve the country’s economy.
“When the people are rich, the government will also be rich because we will collect taxes from the people..if the people are poor, we will not be able to collect taxes, so we will educate our people to be business minded and able to hold whatever positions,” he said when speaking at the Jelajah Malaysia Baharu programme at Dataran Stargate here yesterday.
Also present were Deputy Prime Minister cum PH president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Amanah president Mohamad Sabu and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) deputy president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Tun Dr Mahathir.
As such, he said the government would strive to provide loan capital to those interested in venturing into business with the condition that they must repay their loans to the parties concerned.
“Some people say money borrowed needed not be paid back, that will not develop the country…the money we borrowed will be paid back to the the people lending it,” he said.
Even though Malaysia practised a democratic system, Dr Mahathir also advised the people to be wiser so as not to make any mistakes when choosing the country’s leaders.
“We believe democracy gives the right to the people (to elect leaders), but the people must be wise and not simply accept whatever the leader did or they will get a rogue leader,” he said.
The Prime Minister also wanted the people to give more time to the PH government to rebuild the country, which he described as being damaged due to the greed of the previous government.
The programme, which was attended by 1,000 people, was the PH first tour after forming the government last May.
–BERNAMA
