SEPT 22 — Yesterday at the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) Open Day, the Malaysian public got a good look at the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP), a public-private initiative centred around 12 Domestic Direct Investment-centric National Key Economic Areas (NKEAs) expected to make a substantial contribution to Malaysia’s economic performance in the next 10 years.

These areas are going to receive priority public investment and policy support, including assurance of meritocracy and transparency. Further, the public was promised the ability to scrutinise, give feedback and monitor the ETP and its Entry Point Projects (EPP) closely when the documents are published on October 26.

“The ETP is a programme, not just a plan,” Pemandu CEO Datuk Seri Idris Jala went on repeatedly during his presentation, in which he also implored Malaysians to “keep the faith,” saying: “If there is no hope for the future, there is no power in the present.”

By all accounts it was a taster that went down well with the 10,000 or so attendees inside and outside the hall, watching via video feed. There was palpable buzz as the Pemandu chief paced the stage and delivered his overview and exhortations Steve Jobs-style. Online, Twitter interest peaked enough to register a trending topic — proof of interest among those who couldn’t be there in person.

As an attendee, you could sense that the additional unspoken message from Idris Jala was that the ETP, along with the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) and the larger, as-yet-not-fully-disclosed New Economic Model (NEM) represent our make-or-break as a transitioning nation heading into 2020.

Our pretentions of a high-income, knowledge-based economy hinges on the civil service transforming itself to better serve the public; on the success of the private sector to deliver on those ETP EPPs; and perhaps more importantly on the recognition by the government that it needs to butt out of business after doing the important job of setting the stage.

Please, enough already with the suffocating hand-holding, catalysing and facilitating characteristics of “big” government. In the 21st century, the time for being paternal is at a nadir. We’ve had enough history of that for all the wrong reasons.

That for the first time the ETP has relied a lot on seconded private sector input especially for the EPPs means it should be left to the Malaysian private sector, GLCs and non-GLCs combined, to deliver along the lines of the “programme.” That is, unless we’ve somehow failed to heed our lessons from past government-contrived “corridors” and “hubs.”

Today’s world moves apace. One of the BRICs is at our doorstep. The time for academic, time-wasting debate is over; what is paramount now is constructive feedback and execution. Let’s all be collectively smart about this and allow the private sector to do its best to get the country back into shape. We have 10 years; we owe it to our future generations.

After 53 years I realise it may be too easy to be cynical about it all, but this is truly our hour of reckoning. The government should keep pressure groups like Perkasa off of business’ backs but otherwise keep out of the way and trust the rakyat and the private sector to get things done on merit. This request goes for the cynical whiners amongst us, too.

To Barisan Nasional (BN), it’s time to be magnanimous. Move to de-politicise the ETP, GTP and NEM. So you’ve “enabled” it — fantastic. Go on and take credit for the ideation but not for the private sector delivery of it, please. After all, Pemandu recommends based on private sector and rakyat feedback for government to enact the supportive policies.

To Pakatan Rakyat (PR), now would be the time to demonstrate genuine intent. Instead of riling against everything perceived to be of BN-origin, step up to the plate and take the high road. Quit being naysayers and be at the forefront of ETP constructive public feedback, or run the risk of the private sector not taking you seriously as contenders. Newsflash: Even if PR wins the next general election, does it make any sense to dismantle what Pemandu has done?

For the rest of us, regardless of our political or apolitical standing, it behooves us to view the ETP as not a BN thing but “our” thing. It is the voice of the private sector made possible through Pemandu — and I, for one, would like to play a part in our nation rolling up its collective sleeve and hunkering down.

As the saying goes: If you don’t vote you don’t get the right to bitch. Well, if it all goes belly up in 10 years, at least I didn’t stand with my arms folded as the economic narrative unfolded.   

* The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.