KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's excellent relationship with China does not compromise national sovereignty, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak (pic).
"These relations do not compromise sovereignty one bit, contrary to what Opposition politicians here have said. I will never sell Malaysia's sovereignty. Never.
"Malaysia has long been a country open and friendly to all.
"The fact that we are a preferred destination for foreign direct investment is a testament to the confidence other nations have in us.
"To turn away these investments out of a narrow and foolish belief - and a fundamental misunderstanding of economics - would only be bad for this country," he said at the opening of China Construction Bank Malaysia (CCBM) here on Friday.
CCBM is the first foreign commercial bank to be granted a banking licence by Malaysia in the last six years.
Najib observed that some people thought it was better to have loss-making companies that were fully Malaysian owned.
"They think this is better instead of having a smaller percentage in a company that stands to gain access to bigger markets, economies of scale and cutting edge technology.
"I ask you, which one will create more wealth and jobs for Malaysians? The answer is obvious," he said.
The premier also called out critics who said the increased collaborations with other nations for business development were "too much, too fast, too soon".
"To those critics, I say this: if you want to delay Malaysia's development, if you want Malaysia to fall behind, and if you don't want jobs to be created or levels of income to rise, then you go and campaign on that platform.
"I will never apologise for facilitating investment in Malaysia. These ventures are in the interests of all, for the rakyat here in Malaysia and for our partners from abroad," he said.