Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak today described as "nonsense" allegations by the opposition that Malaysia is a failed state.    

If Malaysia was a failed state, it would not have caught the attention of world leaders, including King Salman Abdulaziz Al Saud, who chose Malaysia as the first destination of his state visits to several Asian countries, Najib said. 

"If Malaysia is a failed state, do you think His Majesty King Salman would have come to Malaysia? In a large aircraft? With a huge entourage and sign an agreement with Petronas to invest RM31 billion in the Rapid (Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development) project? 

"Ladies and gentlemen, do you think His Majesty wants to waste time with Malaysia, with the government of Malaysia?

"How can Malaysia be a failed state if it is a country of His Majesty's choice to visit?" Najib said when speaking at the launch of the Taman Batu Sapi People's Housing Project in Sandakan, Sabah.

Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman and deputy chief ministers Joseph Pairin Kitingan and Raymond Tan Shu Kiah, as well as Federal Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Noh Omar were also present at the event.

Najib said that if Malaysia was a failed state, how was it that Saudi Aramco, which produces 14 million barrels of oil per day, wanted to seal an agreement with Petronas as a joint partner of the Rapid project in Pengerang, Johor.

He also questioned how Bloomberg could announce recently that Malaysia rose to 23rd ranking from 25th in the Global Innovation Index, if the country was a failure.

If Malaysia was a failed state, it wouldn't be possible for the Barisan Nasional-led government of Malaysia to implement basic projects for the people's benefit, such as the housing project in Batu Sapi and many mega projects in Sabah, he pointed out. 

'Many more projects being implemented'

Najib said that besides the housing project in Batu Sapi, many additional projects were being implemented and would be carried out throughout Sabah for the welfare of the state, including the Pan-Borneo Highway.

He said the government under his leadership paid attention to development in Sabah to ensure the state's development was on par with that experienced by other states in the peninsula.

"I see Sabah as a state that has huge potentials. I want the 'Land Below The Wind' to attain a higher status, success and development and for the people to be more prosperous in future," he said, adding, however, that this needed time and could not happen overnight.

As such, Najib reminded the people of Sabah not to be easily swayed by the opposition's incitement to instigate and mislead the people, who would utimately lose out.

At the event, Najib also announced that the Taman Batu Sapi PPR was under the 'Rent To Own' housing scheme, whereby house buyers would pay certain amount of rentals every month and eventually own the house.

Najib also announced the government's willingness to study the costs needed to supply clean water to residents living on the islands near Sandakan to be considered for implementation.

- Bernama