Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak says Malaysia is now ranked 11th among 138 nations in the latest World Economic Forum Global Competitive Index 2016-2017 ranking on transportation.

He said in the rankings, it acknowledged that Malaysian commuters obtain greatest value for money in daily travel, beating the likes of Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.

This was a direct result of what the government had delivered but it was not all, he said, promising that the future would be even better.

“It’s also an acknowledgment of the Barisan Nasional-led government’s efforts and policies of putting the rakyat first,” added Najib in his latest blog posting.

He said connectivity for the people through quality and affordable transportation was very dear and close to his heart.

“Today, as a result of careful planning and foresight, Malaysians are able to benefit from using the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), with the successful launch of the Sungai Buloh-Kajang MRT’s first phase last December,” noted the prime minister.

In the near future, he said, Malaysians would be even more connected with the completion of the MRT, Light Rail Transit Line 3 (LRT3) and KL-Singapore High Speed Rail.

He stressed that even as the government provided world-class infrastructure for citizens, it must also be inclusive in its policies.

“I believe no one must be left behind and that’s why we’re charging ahead on a forward trajectory with mega infrastructure projects like the Pan-Borneo Highway in Sabah and Sarawak, as well as the East Coast Rail Link in Malaysia’s East Coast.”

Najib described the projects, to be completed in the medium term, as a “game-changer”.

“Insya-Allah, they will transform Malaysia's socio-economic landscape and the way our people live, work, travel and do business. I’m excited for the future of our country,” he said.

- Bernama