KUALA LUMPUR, March 30 — Perikatan Nasional (PN) Youth information chief Muhammad Hilman Idham told Umno Youth chief Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki to stop talking about principles when he is still a slave to kleptocrats.

Muhammad Hilman said this referring to the Umno Youth chief’s claim that Opposition MPs were in cahoots with PN.

"PN Youth advises the Umno Youth chief to wake up from his dreams and face the reality of the world.

"There is no point in twisting principles if you are still bound and a slave to kleptocrats,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Last Saturday, Asyraf, during his policy speech at the Umno Youth wing assembly, had called on members to reject "hypocrites” who have forgotten the party’s struggles in the next party polls.

Umno Youth chief Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki speaks to reporters during the party’s general assembly in Kuala Lumpur March 28, 2021. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon

Muhammad Hilman said Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s government has displayed leadership, policy and sincerity in defending the people’s welfare.

"Despite various evil efforts to threaten the government’s stability, the government has focused on implementing various initiatives such as Prihatin, Penjana, Kitaprihatin, Permai and Pemerkasa, which have succeeded in strengthening the support from people, including the Opposition MPs,” he said.

He also said that the government’s stability and administration of the country have made Malaysia the destination of choice for investors despite the country’s economic turmoil throughout 2020.

"Malaysia has recorded a total of RM164 billion of approved investments through 4,599 projects in the manufacturing, services and key sectors.

"The performance of foreign trade also gives us confidence that the country is on a right track in its efforts to sharpen the economy.

"The trade surplus recorded in 2020 is the highest in the country’s global trade history. The trade surplus increased 26.9 per cent to RM184.79 billion as compared to year 2019,” he added.

He said that PN Youth is confident that the formulation of the New Investment Policy, which gives priority to high quality and technology-centric investments demanding the empowerment of highly skilled human capital, will continue to enhance the country’s economic competitiveness.

"We believe that this progressive effort will be the catalyst for efforts to develop Malaysia as a high income country in the next five years,” he said.