Malaysians need to renew their commitment in efforts towards national development as they welcome the arrival of 2017, said Gerakan president Datuk Mah Siew Keong.

He said the spirit of awareness, sense of belonging and maturity should also be nurtured among the communities in resolving differences among a diverse society.

"Having endured various upheavals throughout 2016, it is time for us to reflect, take stock of the year left behind and look ahead to resolving urgent matters in an honest and practical way while making sure that the country is on track for transformation.

"We must end this year with a deep sense of gratitude and feel optimistic about 2017," he said in his New Year message Saturday.

He said in 2016, the nation had weathered a series of challenging tests on unity but resilience and the ingenuity of the people of Malaysia enabled the nation to overcome the continuous socio-political polemic.

As such in moving forward, he urged the public to keep up with the spirit to realise Malaysia's socio-economic transformation aspiration. -- Bernama