PM and Idris exaggerated GNI per capita figure

Mar 15: Economic figures have been deliberately doubled in an attempt to show the success of the government's much-trumpeted Economic Transformation Programme, according to DAP.

Its election strategist Ong Kian Ming cited the recent statement by prime minister Najib Razak who said Malaysia had performed exceptionally well in Gross National Income (GNI), growing 49 percent or US$6,670 to US$9,970 between 2009 and 2011.

But Ong said the figure was bigger than what Performance Management & Delivery Unit (Pemandu) chief executive officer Idris Jala had declared in December 2012, when he said GNI had grown by 45 percent from US$6,700 to US$9,700 during the same period.

Ong said both figures were however different from what was provided by Bank Negara Malaysia.

“(According to BNM’s figure) GNI per capita increased by RM5,244 from 2009 to 2011, an increase of only 22.0 percent, which is less than half of the 45 percent quoted by Idris Jala and definitely nowhere near the 49 percent increase which Najib was reported to have said during his TV interview a few days ago,” he explained.

Even with the strengthening of the ringgit against US dollar by 10 percent in the same period, Ong said GNI growth would only be 34 percent based on decreasing rate of US dollar.

“What we have here is PEMANDU’s CEO Idris Jala misrepresenting the GNI figures in US dollar in 2009 and 2011 to show a ‘fantastic’ growth rate from 2009 to 2011 and our Finance Minister and Prime Minister Najib further exaggerating Idris Jala’s figures to show an even more ‘fantastic’ world record breaking result,” he added.