KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 — Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir today iterated the importance of education in the progress of the community and country, pointing out that it is the best investment which brings the most dividends.

In his speech at the Asia Business School’s (ASB) graduation ceremony, he also reminded graduates that while their scrolls alone would not guarantee success, it is a stepping stone for their future.

"As a nation, no investment will pay as high a dividend as the investment in education. Education plays a defining role for all of us. From the earliest childhood years, through elementary school, through high school, then on to college and post-graduate education for some, and then to life-long learning for working adults.

"The best investment that can be made is the investment in education.

"Education raises the potential of the individual by being adding value, which in turn, raises the potential of businesses and economies to perform well,” Dr Mahathir said.

Dr Mahathir also said higher salaries must also commensurate with greater productivity, cautioning that a mismatch between the two factors will lead to higher prices of goods and services.

"I was trained as a medical doctor, but economists and business leaders always remind me that productivity is an essential ingredient for economic success,” he added.

Dr Mahathir was also bestowed with an honorary doctorate in business administration at the event.

ASB is a global business school founded by Bank Negara Malaysia and the MIT Sloan School of Management in the United States.