KUALA LUMPUR, April 16 — Pakatan Harapan (PH) government’s move to rebrand the National Permata Programme as ‘Genius’ shows it recognises its benefits, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today.

"The National Permata Programme was clearly politicised by them (PH) before this,” he told reporters after the third day of his RM42 million SRC International Sdn Bhd corruption trial.

"But it was a different story after the general election, they (PH) recognise the programme as beneficial for the future generations,” the former prime minister said.

He pointed out that the child development programme's name does not matter, as it is more important that it serves its purpose.

"So I wish to thank the Pakatan Harapan government who concluded and admitted that the National Permata Programme or 'Genius' is a programme that will benefit the upcoming generations,” Najib quipped.

In yesterday's Malay daily Berita Harian, Education Minister Maszlee Malik had announced that the National Permata Programme, the brainchild of Najib's spouse, had been rebranded as 'Genius'.

Najib's wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor had previously helmed the programme, which was started nearly a decade ago after Najib became the then prime minister.