He said leadership and political stability were important to determine the country’s direction and future.

“If there is no political stability and a leadership that understands how to develop and administer the country, as well as determine the country’s priorities, whatever that has been achieved will be meaningless,” he said.

Najib said this in his speech at a special dinner gathering with the armed forces and police here yesterday.

Also present were Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, armed forces chief General Raja Mohamed Affandi Raja Mohamed Noor and Inspector-General of Police Mohamad Fuzi Harun.

Najib stressed that a leadership that did not understand the aspirations of the country would reduce the size of its civil service, including that of the armed forces, the police and educational services.

“These may happen if the government policies do not fulfill the actual needs or worse, the intended target, nor understand the history of the country,” he said referring to the proposal by certain quarters for the Royal Malay Regiment to be disbanded because it was supposedly not appropriate with the concept of “Malaysian Malaysia”.

“It is not that I want to raise this sensitive issue but I want all of us to realise and appreciate the fact that we need to choose the most suitable and precise leadership for the aspirations and future of our country together,” Najib said.

The first ever joint dinner function with the armed forces and police was also to celebrate the 211th Police Day on March 25. It was attended by 460 officers and staff from the country’s two security authorities.