Penang: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today called on all state governments to prioritise resolving public issues while also focusing on infrastructure development. Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, said priority should be given to addressing hardcore poverty, flood issues and housing problems to better serve the people.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Anwar emphasized the importance of addressing these issues at the Penang State-Level MADANI Iftar Ceremony at Masjid Abu Ubaidah Ibni Al-Jarrah, Bandar Tasek Mutiara. He pointed out the ongoing challenge of annual floods, despite the country’s long-standing independence, and urged for bold and swift measures to tackle these persistent problems.

At the same event, Anwar expressed his appreciation to the Penang state government for its efforts in developing the Bakat Baru MADANI Affordable Housing (RMM) project. This housing initiative, which is the state’s largest, is set to be launched this year and will provide 35,000 housing units with a gross development value (GDV) of RM13 billion. The project will include facilities such as a swimming pool, gymnasium, multipurpose hall, and playground.

Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek, who is also the Member of Parliament for Nibong Tebal, were among the 1,500 attendees at the MADANI Iftar event. Anwar also discussed changes in the national education system, expressing hope that parents would cooperate and support these initiatives. The government plans to have 70 percent of students in fully residential schools opt for the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) stream starting next year, to bolster expertise in these fields.

The Prime Minister acknowledged that these changes might not be well-received by all, including parents, but stressed their necessity to meet industry demands for skilled workers, especially in high-tech sectors. Anwar highlighted the importance of not entertaining objections to these plans, emphasizing the need for trained talents to support companies such as Infineon, NVIDIA, Arm Limited, Microsoft, and Google that are entering the country.