GEORGE TOWN, Jan 11 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia has to look at the big picture of becoming a great nation in this region instead of being influenced by racial and provocative sentiments.

He said the people should be taught to face bigger challenges of developing the nation instead of narrow-minded sentiments aimed at dividing the people.

"Why are we focusing on why a mosque was not shown in a tourism promotional video, on issues meant to divide the people and playing on racial sentiments that create hatred among the people?” he said in his speech at the launch of the Penang Mutiara LRT Line project at Sungai Pinang here.

He said the country would only stand to lose and go backwards if the people allowed themselves to be drawn into such divisive sentiments, adding that it is better to focus on projects that improve the country’s infrastructure and better the lives of the people.

He also said the people should the foundation of the country as a great nation and work on improving its relationship with countries like China, US and Europe.

"We have to continue to build on our close relationship with Asean countries too,” he added.

Anwar said this included working with Singapore on the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone and with Thailand on the South Thailand Economic Zone, respectively.

He said that when certain groups labelled him as only "taking care of the ethnic Chinese” and pandering to DAP due to the announcement of the LRT project for Penang, he did not care about such accusations.

"I don’t care about such accusations, if Penang needed the project, I will continue to push for the project,” he said.

He added that if the government were to listen to instigators using racial sentiments to divide the people, the country would remain divided and would neither move forward nor prosper.

He also reminded the civil service to ensure that development projects are implemented properly.

"We need the full focus of leaders and civil servants to look at how we can bring about changes and modernisation,” he said.

He said the heads of departments are not only involved in the implementation of projects but also play a role as innovators in assisting ministers and chief ministers with proposals and recommendations for improvement.

"Don’t use these as opportunities to get commissions or to gain illegal profits. Don’t focus on trivial matters that do not help us, but focus on taking care of the country,” he said.