Land Below the Wind: The King and Queen are expected to make an overnight stop at Kundasang, where Mount Kinabalu is located, during ‘Kembara Kenali Borneo’. — Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR: Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has told all parties to focus on the implementation of economic structural reforms and increase competitiveness to ensure a more inclusive, stronger and sustainable economic growth for Malaysia.
Comptroller of the Royal Household of Istana Negara, Mejar-Jeneral Datuk Zahari Mohd Ariffin, said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah have expressed their hope that the national economy would continue to grow and prayed that the people would continue to be blessed with better sustenance.
“His Majesty has taken note of the state of Malaysia’s economy which grew at a rate of 4.2% in the first half of 2023 despite facing slower global economic and trade growth conditions.
“This development is supported by strong household spending following a stronger labour market and income, in addition to the implementation of new and existing investment projects,” Zahari said in a statement yesterday.
His Majesty also noted that the unemployment rate was down to 3.4% in June 2023 while overall and core inflation continued to decrease in the second quarter of this year, he said.
According to Zahari, the King also touched on the development of the Islamic financial sector which has contributed to the economic progress and socioeconomic development of the country, and expressed gratitude for the development of the iTekad initiative in helping the vulnerable, reported Bernama.
So far, iTekad, which has the support of 11 financial institutions and nearly 60 implementing partners, has benefited 3,000 low-income micro-entrepreneurs, especially the asnaf (tithe recipients) group.
On Friday, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong consented to an audience with Bank Negara Malaysia Governor Datuk Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour and his deputy Datuk Jessica Chew Cheng Lian at Istana Negara for a briefing on current developments of the economy.
His Majesty also received a briefing regarding the stability of the ringgit, inflation, progress of the Islamic financial ecosystem, value-based intermediation and social finance programmes, in particular iTekad.
Meanwhile, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Raja Permaisuri Agong are scheduled to tour Sabah and Sarawak from today until Sept 13. The first-ever “Kembara Kenali Borneo” tour through the two states will provide a golden opportunity for the people to meet the royal couple.
Tawau Banjar Association president Badrianshah Mohd Hamdi said he was moved by the King’s willingness to drive himself down the Pan Borneo Highway.Badrianshah, 67, said the Kembara Kenali Borneo tour would also allow Their Majesties to see for themselves the progress of the highway construction in Sabah where Phase 1 of the project, which involves 15 packages, has reached 82% and expected to be completed in January next year.
The Kembara Kenali Borneo tour will start from Tawau, Sabah, and end in Telok Melano, Kuching, Sarawak involving a distance of over 2,100km via the Pan Borneo Highway which connects Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei.
