Kit Siang calls Najib's GNI growth bluff

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak boastfully told a televised interview last night that Malaysia's gross national income (GNI) per capita rose 49 percent under his watch, contradicting World Bank data.

In a pre-recorded interview with TV3 aired last night, Najib said that GNI per capita had rose from US$6,670 in 2009 to US$9,970 in 2011.

"There is no country in the world that has achieved that kind of result," said Najib.

However, a check by DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang on World Bank's website showed that the figure was a more modest 16.2 percent. 

He further pointed out that the GNI per capita growth during the same period was behind neighbouring Philippines (18.18 percent), Thailand (19 percent), Singapore (19.15 percent) and Indonesia (36.1 percent).

In fact, even impoverished Botswana recorded higher GNI per capita growth, at 19.14 percent, during the same period.

"When Malaysia lose out to Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia in terms of GNI per capita growth... from 2009 to 2011, how can Najib go before a national television audience to thump his chest to claim to be the world’s fastest country in GNI per capita growth from 2009 to 2011?" asked Lim.

Najib, who is also finance minister, was appeared in a rare televised interview last night to field questions from NST readers.