>KEPALA BATAS, MALAYSIA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi yesterday said the people should not wager the country's future by trying out the opposition.He said forming the government was a serious business and the people could not afford to "conduct experiments".
"It is going to be disastrous if the experiment fails. The risks are just too high.
"I hope such calls for the people to experiment with the opposition will not get any support."
Abdullah was asked to comment on calls by opposition party leaders for the people to give them a chance, even if it was just for one term, by voting against the Barisan Nasional.
The prime minister said the BN had already proven that it could run the country and ensure continuous economic growth.
He cited the latest economic figures which showed gross domestic product growth in the fourth quarter of last year surging to 7.3 per cent.
Abdullah said the growth had exceeded expectations, indicating confidence in the country's economy.
"Domestic consumption is up and so are investment levels. I am very happy as the figures can only spur further economic growth."
To a question on claims that Penang's economy was in decline, Abdullah said the state was among the most developed in the country. "We will continue to ensure its economy grows.
"Penang is set to become an important logistics hub under the Northern Region Economic Corridor and this will only make its economy stronger."
Abdullah was speaking after meeting academics at Dewan Millenium here yesterday.
He earlier visited several villages in the constituency where the government had built and upgraded homes for the hardcore poor.
Touching on poverty eradication, Abdullah said the government had allocated RM590 million under the Ninth Malaysia Plan to implement projects for the poor.
He added that the government would strive to attain a zero hardcore poverty rate by 2010.
In his speech, Abdullah paid tribute to teachers who had helped the government successfully implement various education programmes and policies.
"Our aim is to produce high quality human capital who will be able to compete globally," he said.
Among the guests at the function yesterday were CIMB group chief executive officer Datuk Nazir Razak, AirAsia chief executive officer Datuk Tony Fernandes and Tesco Malaysia advisory board chairman Datuk Mohamed Abid.
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