PM: Stop complaining about 9MP

Malaysiakini – 7/4/2006 
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has told Malaysian malcontents to stop complaining about a new five-year economic development plan, a report said today.
Abdullah a week ago unveiled the Ninth Malaysia Plan worth RM200 billion to tackle poverty and put drive the country towards being a developed nation but he got only mixed reviews from analysts and ordinary Malaysians.
The prime minister told critics to hold their tongues and to stop spreading negative stories about the plan.
"We want something good for the nation," Abdullah was quoted as saying in the New Straits Times at a government gathering.
"I do not want to see people sitting on the sidelines creating all sorts of baseless stories," he said, without elaborating.
While Abdullah has won praise for his economic management, analysts have said the plan's growth targets are ambitious and that it fails to address growing racial and religious polarisation amongst Malaysians.
The prime minister said continued criticism would derail the plan's implementation.
Create non-issues
"We have drawn up the plans, formulated the projects and set aside the money, so why are you complaining? What more do you want? The peoples interests come before personal interests."
Abdullah also described critics as people who "have nothing better to do".
"They create non-issues and when (the plan) stalls they say, 'see, I told you so'."
The development blueprint from 2006 to 2010 is the first five-year plan since Abdullah came to power in 2003 and closes the door on an era of ambitious mega-projects under former premier Mahathir Mohamad.
It focuses on boosting the wealth of majority ethnic Malays, rural development, education and stimulating economic growth to achieve Malaysia's declared goal of being the first developed Muslim nation by 2020.
Source: Malaysiakini | www.malaysiakini.com