PETALING JAYA: The government will never compromise on the nation's sovereignty and will protect all of its assets from external threats, says Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.

In his royal address, the King said that he highly appreciates the spirit and role of the people in ensuring the preservation of national unity and harmony.

"At the same time, my government will never compromise on national sovereignty and security.

It will continue to protect all the national assets from external threats," said the King.

Speaking at the investiture ceremony held in conjunction with His Majesty’s birthday celebration at Istana Negara on Monday (June 5), His Majesty expressed gratitude for the encouraging performance of the national economy.

His Majesty also expressed gratitude for the country's economic growth, with a GDP that expanded by 5.6% in the first quarter of this year.

"In my opinion, the country is now on the right track to implement and achieve the development agendas for the well-being of the people," he said.

The King said that the government will focus on implementing development projects that will directly impact the well-being of the people as outlined in the 2023 Budget.

"The agenda of the people's well-being, including expanding the social protection network to combat the issue of rising cost of living, needs to be continuously prioritised.

"I am confident that the continuous efforts of my government to implement initiatives and explore innovative strategies will positively impact the socio-economic well-being of all Malaysians," added the King.