CYBERJAYA (Jan 17): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and 31 ministers are attending the Unity Government Cabinet Members' Retreat 2024 here.

The retreat, being held at Cyberview Resort & Spa on Wednesday and Thursday (Jan 18), also sees the attendance of 15 special guests, according to a statement from the Prime Minister's Department (JPM).

Anwar, who is also finance minister, arrived at the retreat at 2.40pm on Wednesday and was received by chief secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali and Public Service Department director-general Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz.

Also present were Deputy Prime Ministers Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

JPM said the holding of the retreat is in line with the prime minister's desire to deliver his mandate to all Cabinet members and top civil servants regarding the government's direction and strategy for this year, and in the medium- and long-term.

The retreat is aimed at achieving alignment of objectives and creating a sense of joint ownership and unity among Cabinet members on the government's integrated and comprehensive action plans, based on the whole of government and whole of nation concept.

“This retreat programme is also aimed at strengthening synergy and cooperation between the Cabinet and the civil service leadership, as well as enabling the implementation of these action plans with focused execution to realise the Madani Economy aspiration,” the statement said.

JPM said the programme features several discourse and forum sessions involving experts from the public and private sectors, industries and international organisations.

Among subjects of discussion are economic challenges and direction; social welfare and security; infrastructure development and sustainability; governance, innovation and communication, toward the country's prosperity, said JPM.

On Tuesday (Jan 16), Anwar said the retreat would focus on seeking new initiatives to spur the country's economy, apart from reviewing the implementation of policies launched by the government throughout last year.

The first such retreat was held in Putrajaya in January last year, and it discussed, among other things, the direction and setting of key performance indicators (KPI) for every ministry in the Unity Government.