KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 (Bernama) -- Ukrainian Ambassador to Malaysia Olexander Nechytaylo said Malaysia's National Blue Ocean Strategy (NBOS) is a great tool for the country to achieve developed, high-income nation status by 2020.

The vast number of blue ocean-inspired strategies, which have transformed the government's delivery service system, were very practical to be implememented for the mutual benefit of the government and its citizens, the newly-appointed ambassador told Bernama at the news agency's headquarters here today.

Citing the opening and keynote address by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at the International Conference on Blue Ocean Strategy (ICBOS) in Putrajaya today, he said that the impact of the NBOS was highly impressive.

"The prime minister's speech highlights on how an average Malaysian citizen could benefit from the implementation of such strategies," said the ambassador, who was present at the opening of the ICBOS.

"Thus, there will be no limitation for Malaysia to utilise this approach towards becoming a developed high-income nation by 2020, be it implemented by the public sector or the private sector, because every Malaysian will receive the benefits," said Nechytaylo, who presented his credentials to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on July 18.

The ICBOS, themed 'Transforming Nations Through Creativity and Innovation', is being held in conjunction with the 2016 NBOS International Week from Aug 14 to 20 at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC).

The ambassador also commended the set up of the Urban Transformation Centre (UTC), saying that the low-cost and cost-effective centre was one of many inspiring programmes.

"The UTC is very convenient and practical for Malaysians to get all related services under one roof. This implementation is good and also 'very down to earth'," said the 42-year old envoy.

The UTC, a one-stop centre providing a wide range of services under a single roof from 8 am to 10 pm seven days a week in cities across Malaysia, is part of the NBOS initiatives.

He said that Ukraine, under the leadership of President Petro Poroshenko, who was in Malaysia early this month for a three-day working visit, has also introduced a similar strategy like NBOS by establishing integrated centres that provided access to fast and convenient administrative services including obtaining passports.

The ambassaddor said that previously, from his own experience, it would take some 30 days to get a passport from the day of application.

"However, with the integrated centres where people can get access to the various services under one roof, passports can be obtained basically more than twice shorter than 30 days," he said.

The NBOS implemented in 2009 is based on the principles of high impact, low cost and rapid execution, enabling to quickly deliver important projects that benefit the people of Malaysia in the most efficient and cost-effective manner.

-- BERNAMA