Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said today he is confident Malaysia's economic growth could surpass the government's official forecast of 4.5 percent for 2003.

Mahathir, who is also finance minister, said a stimulus package unveiled last month would boost economic growth.

"The government is confident that these measures can once more regenerate economic growth to exceed the projected 4.5 percent," he was quoted as saying by the official Bernama news agency.