RM1 TRILLION DEBT RACKED UP BY NAJIB REGIME NOW REDUCED DUE TO STEPS TAKEN BY PAKATAN: DR M CHIDES ‘FRIED RICE’ AHMAND MASLAN – WARNS OF MORE ASSET SALES AHEAD BUT LAND WILL ONLY BE SOLD TO MALAYSIANS

KUALA LUMPUR — The government is considering selling some of its assets to further trim the national debt that is currently at valued RM686 billion, the prime minister said today.

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad gave his assurance that any government asset sold, particularly its land, would only be to Malaysians and not foreigners.

“We still have some assets. In fact, if necessary we’ll sell government land belonging to the government.

“But of course, we’ll sell the land to Malaysians, not foreigners,” he told a news conference in Parliament here.

Dr Mahathir had earlier clarified in the Dewan Rakyat that the country’s gargantuan debt had been reduced from RM1 trillion to a more manageable level now because the GDP had increased. – MALAY MAIL

GDP up, so national debt now more manageable, PM says

KUALA LUMPUR, April 4 — The over RM1 trillion sovereign debt inherited by the Pakatan Harapan government last year has been reduced to a more manageable level today, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said in Parliament.

The prime minister attributed the reduction of national debt to the recent increase in GDP.

“At first our findings revealed that the government debt had exceeded RM1 trillion. That is a huge sum when compared to the national GDP. Now that the national GDP has increased, the debt percentage has also reduced.

“That is a fact. Secondly, after we have settled some of the debts, our debt has reduced. Now we are near the level where the debt will not affect our administration and efforts to develop the country,” he said during Question Time in reply to Pontian MP Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan.

The Barisan Nasional lawmaker had asked the PM to clarify the current level of the national debt, after Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng yesterday said the amount stood at RM686 billion.

The Council of Eminent Persons (CEP) had initially declared national debt and liabilities to surpass RM1 trillion last year.

“Does the CEP report state the method on how to reduce our debt? Yesterday, the Finance Minister said our national debt is RM686 billion and not RM1 trillion?” asked Ahmad.

The prime minister explained that yesterday’s figure reflected the reduced official debt after the steps taken by the government. – MALAY MAIL

MALAY MAIL