Kota Baharu - Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi says Barisan Nasional (BN) which has governed the country for 50 years, has proven that what it has done clearly shows Malaysia is a welfare state.
The prime minister told reporters here today that what the BN government had implemented for the people so far, including its national development agenda, very clearly conformed to the meaning of a welfare state.
"It is true (we are a welfare state) in terms of what have been done - we give out aid. It is welfare that we make sure the people get assistance in the form of welfare aid; aid for prosperity, their well-being," he said.
He was commenting on PAS`s manifesto that it wanted to turn Malaysia into a welfare state.
"What they want to promise, it is up to them. What is important is that we want to provide welfare for the people. We want to bring development; development that satisfies all the needs of the people," Abdullah said.
The prime minister said the BN government also presently gave emphasis to human development because that aspect was for the good of the people in the effort to become a developed country.
"If human development is not strong and is not supported by quality requirements to implement and realise the development in certain fields, it will not happen.
"Look at other countries, if there is no credible and viable development, they will not become developed countries," he said.
Abdullah is on a one-day visit to Kelantan. Earlier, he chaired a closed-door meetings of the Kelantan BN coordinating committee and state Umno political bureau.
Source: www.bernama.com (5 Februari 2008)
