AS he kicked off his first national Merdeka and Malaysia Day celebrations since returning as prime minister after 15 years, Dr Mahathir Mohamad told the people that the government will control the cost of living and ensure freedom.

He promised that the government would see that the people’s buying power is improved.

“This will happen because our productivity will increase through new and more efficient ways (of doing things).”

Dr Mahathir also pledged that the people will be happier with freedom of expression and freedom of the press.

He said human rights would be enjoyed by all, and that the people would be free to criticise the government.

“They will never be abused by additional taxes, frozen bank accounts, demotions, terminated contracts and others for not supporting the government,” he said.

Dr Mahathir said this in his speech at the launch of the National Month and Fly the Jalur Gemilang 2018 campaign in George Town, Penang, tonight. The event was also attended by ministers and some 30,000 people.

He said a nation will develop if its people also enjoyed progress, so education opportunities would be increased through scholarships and the setting up of more education institutions and training centres.

Skills training would be enhanced, he said, to make Malaysians more marketable.

Dr Mahathir also told the people that Malaysia would return as the “Asian Tiger”.

The government chosen by the people, he said, promised to work hard to raise Malaysia back to that level again.

Malaysia was recognised as the Asian Tiger, or one of the Tiger economies of Southeast Asia, during his first tenure as prime minister from 1981 to 2003.

“We are sure we can do it. Even if not entirely, we will be able to put the country back on track to move towards that direction.

“It is only that we need patience from the people, the government machinery and the civil service,” he said.

Dr Mahathir said the government could not give “free money” as it did not want to abuse the power entrusted to it.

“We are not going to cheat and set up companies to misappropriate owned money.

“But believe us when we develop the nation, the people will not only benefit from the progress, but also from better jobs and business opportunities.” 

Dr Mahathir also expressed hope that the people would accept the government’s plans and strategies well so that they could work.

“If the people are not ready or equipped to take advantage of the opportunities created for them, none of the plans will be successful,” he said.

Dr Mahathir also thanked Malaysians who had given money to Tabung Harapan Malaysia. – August 4, 2018.