NOV 11 — Kuala Lumpur recently welcomed two honourable guests — Chinese President Hu Jintao and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. China and Indonesia were lagging behind before their reforms and they were even worse than Malaysia. There is something we should learn from them.
Chinese economy has been soaring since its economic reform 30 years ago. The key lies in the Chinese government's pragmatic approach. “It doesn't matter if a cat is black or white, so long as it catches mice.” Former Chinese leader Deng Xiao Ping's “cat theory” has proven that the Chinese insistence in market economy or Chinese-style capitalism is on the right track and finally, it has enabled China to realise its dream to “surpass the United Kingdom and catch up with the United States”.
China may have to face with hunger problems today if it had chosen to cling to Communism. The inspiration we can get from China is, we should be pragmatic in development. Just like Singapore Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, as long as it is good for the country, he will cast aside national sovereignty and racial narrow-mindedness while removing all obstacles to economic development and promote genuine reform.
Indonesia faced a serious corruption problem during the Suharto era. After he stepped down and ended his rule of more than 30 years in 1998, Indonesia entered a period of adjustment for political development and democratic reform. Other than lifting the ban on political parties and promoting the freedom of press, Indonesia also rigorously fight corruption. For example, Indonesia's independent Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) mounted a blitz operation against the High Court and searched for evidence of fund misappropriation.
Today, China is the world's second largest economic power and its education level has greatly improved. It no longer cares whether small countries will recognise Chinese university degrees. Chinese top universities were ranked better in the world's top university rankings compared to Malaysia's universities. Currently, only University of Malaya has been ranked among the top 200. We are the one who has to bear the loss of not recognising academic degrees issued by foreign universities that are doing better than us. And no talent will come either.
Indonesia had given the outside world an instability image but in recent years, it has surpassed Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore and became the fastest-growing Asean country. Its democratic politics has been gradually maturing and it is expected to become the fifth BRIC country.
Indonesia has given us an inspiration that we must be bold in reform, particularly political reform. Malaysia is currently talking about minor changes and anti-corruption on the surface but dares not to touch on the root. How are we going to improve the state system? How are we going to carry out economic reform?
Malaysia started to talk about opening up earlier than Indonesia as Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had implemented the open economic policy in the early ‘90s, which brought 8-9 per cent annual economic growth. But it eventually stalled because of political problems.
Malaysia has many good plans, including the advanced country vision, Multimedia Super Corridor and the high-income country proposed by Najib. But the government has neglected the details and implementation issue.
And now, the government is seeking for the less attractive objective by aiming for a 6 per cent annual economic growth to achieve the Vision 2020. However, if they do not learn the pragmatic attitude from China and adopt Indonesia's political reform, the new economic model to be revealed at the end of the year may bring only short-term effects.
Hu’s and Susilo’s reminds us to learn from China and Indonesia. If they can do it, surely Malaysia can do it, too! — mysinchew
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Ermmm, since when did Singapore or LKY cast aside national sovereignty. Singapore has always stood its ground where sovereignty is concern - which is why there has been so much disagreement with Malaysia because the latter insist on treating Singapore as adek. You are confusing jingoistic nationalism and xenophobia with sovereignty.
Or do you mean Malaysia's definition of sovereignty - the selling of sand equals selling out its sovereignty.