KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 — The National Transformation Programme (NTP) implemented by the government has delivered impactful initiatives in sustainable and inclusive ways to ensure that nobody gets left behind in the country’s pursuit towards high-income status, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said this endeavour required courage and determination and as Malaysia is moving into the last five years towards a developed nation status by 2020, the government stands resolute in making it to the finishing line.

“There are initiatives aimed at benefiting the rakyat and there are certain aspects of our work, such as reforms in public finances, that appear difficult to stomach but are critical towards our competitiveness and sustenance as a nation in the grander scheme of things.

“The Prime Minister and I, as his deputy, have pledged our commitment towards staying the course of transformation, taking into consideration the concerns voiced by all Malaysians,” he said in the ‘Note from the Deputy Prime Minister’ included in the NTP Annual Report 2015 launched tonight.

He said the government will continue to strive to provide stellar service for the people and deliver transformational impact for the people.

“Moving forward into 2016, I am confident that the NTP will continue in its trajectory with conviction to deliver changes that touch and uplift the life of Malaysians across all walks of life,” he said.

He added that despite all the challenges, he was also confident that Malaysia is on track to achieving this national aspiration of attaining developed and high-income status by 2020.

As the chair of the Government Transformation Programme and also Home Minister, Ahmad Zahid said he will ensure that the government will continue to institutionalise and embrace transformation in totality across areas relating to improved public service delivery as well as keeping peace in the nation.

He said this is will bode well with the country as it will not only create peace of mind among citizens, it also enhances Malaysia’s appeal to foreign tourists and investors, thus opening up opportunities for job creation and better standards of living.

He said initiatives implemented under the Reducing Crime National Key Result Areas (NKRA) have contributed to a significant decrease of crime index by an average 6.6 per cent since 2010.

However, he noted that incidences of crime persist, and had contributed to public scepticism on the effectiveness of the government’s crime-fighting measures.

“When it comes to feeling a sense of security, we too believe in the need to uphold ourselves to the ideals of a crime-free society, a goal more utopian than practical but one that we must aspire to achieve.

“The rakyat have my pledge that the relevant agencies will work to this end,” he added. — Bernama