KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has refuted allegations by the opposition that the federal government under his leadership has failed.
In his speech at the Barisan Nasional (BN) Wanita convention today, the Umno vice-president cited several indicators and achievements which the current administration had accrued.
These included the country's gross domestic product (GDP), which grew 8.2 per cent in the second quarter this year, which exceeded projections made by economic observers.
"This proves that allegations that Malaysia's economy is in a dire state or that foreign investors are fleeing the country, are extremely inaccurate.
"Under the leadership of a prime minister from BN, who is backed by the BN machinery that upholds a culture of putting the people as priority, the country's economy will continue to expand. InsyaAllah (God willing)," he said.
He also noted that some 400,000 new employment opportunities had been created since he took over the mantle of leadership.
Malaysia's unemployment rate, he said, also dropped from 4.3 per cent to 3.8 per cent, nearing pre-pandemic levels.
Ismail Sabri said foreign direct investment (FDI) over the past nine months stood at 74.1 billion, outpacing the annual FDI for the years 2021, 2020, 2019 and 2018.
"This data bears witness (that the administration has not failed in governing the country).
"I personally saw during my trips to other countries, including Japan, how many captains of industry are still keen on investing in Malaysia.
"I am stating all this data to refute the accusation by the Opposition, which wants to stage a demonstration on the grounds that the government has failed.
"The data I stated has proven that we have achieved whatever we had planned for the progress of the country," he said.
Ismail Sabri, however, conceded that the achievements should not be an excuse for the government to be complacent.
He said he was aware of the challenges ahead, including global inflation, which has not spared the country.
"As the prime minister, I cannot be just happy with mere figures concerning investment, the GDP and others if these benefits are not felt by the people.
"That is why I will not hesitate to take drastic actions to mitigate and ensure that the impact from inflation remains at a minimum level," he said.