ROME – The Madani government is willing to take hard and sometimes unpopular decisions to ensure development and projects benefiting the rakyat can be implemented, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Anwar, who is in Italy on a three-day working visit, said despite criticism over the government’s move to implement certain policies such as subsidy rationalisation or tariff adjustment, they needed to be carried out for the benefit of the people.
“All governments, all prime ministers in the past talk about taking away subsidies from foreigners, but none took the right action,” he said at the Majlis Ramah Mesra Bersama Diaspora Malaysia last night.
The prime minister said various actions taken by the government, including subsidies and tax rationalisations, were implemented to build more schools, universities and hospitals that will help the masses.
During the dinner, Anwar also shared that various programmes and policies are being undertaken by his government to ensure the country remains competitive.
“To our diaspora in Italy, you are our ambassadors and our asset. You have a big role to play in bringing Malayia into the international platform.
“Therefore, I leave a message for you to continue to seize every opportunity and space to strengthen your knowledge, skills and networks in order to contribute back to the homeland, good governance,” he said.
Also present at the dinner were Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Malaysia’s Ambassador to Italy Datuk Zahid Rastam, Transport Minister Anthony Loke, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, and Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz.