Making the most of the best and brightests
The writer for the article, Making the most of the best and brightest, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, is a Member of Parliament for Kota Baru, Kelantan, Malaysia.
First and foremost, I respected his candid opinions on lack of meritocracies in a chauvinisticaly regulated environment adopted in Malaysia. He has put forward a moderate opinions on developing the human capital of Malaysia and country as a smart country. A good intention, but I doubt the present administration has the political wills and backing of the elitists.
First and foremost, with due respect, let me put forward this observation in relation to Datuk Zaid's opinion :
After more than 48 years of independent, we are still the uncounciously willing victims of the colonist's “divide and rule” policies. The present administration is still adopting the “Bumiputra and Non-Bumiputra” approach in implementing official policies. Malaysians are still required to mark their “Racial Origin” in all official forms. Political parties are formed along racial lines. The sad fact is, we are still kowtowing to the old and outdated colonist's system.
The original concept of “Islam Hadhari” as championed by the Prime Minister is a good and practical system that ensure balance development of infrastructures and environment, fairness and equality for all Malaysians, and the creation of knowledge societies based on culture of innovative mindsets. But in reality, I do not see any real promotion for the implementation by any governmental organizations.
In most part of the world, governmental initiative of affirmative actions basically means the adoption of small preferential treatments for minority groups at the expense of small sacrifices of the Majority groups. But in Malaysia, the affirmative action is based on the concept of the minority groups supporting the Majority groups. Economically speaking, I doubt this can go on perpetually in the long terms.
In reality, we are still bounded by the Marxism of the early century of social contracts and social engineering without taking into consideration of the present global's competitive environments. The noble ideas of social contracts initiated and formulated in the 50's is obsolete and no longer valid. But out of convenience, and as human beings, greeds and selfishness compelled us to hold on to these material gains and demand more along racial lines.
The bottomline is, are we willing to sit down in a round-table as Malaysians and think as a Malaysian to formulate policies and strategic directions ? Or do we still want to sit down in a round-table as Malay, Chinese, Indian, Kadazan, Iban, etc. to champion each other's racial rights at the expense of the nationhood of Malaysia ? The choice is really at the hands of the elected representatives sitting in the parliament of Malaysian.
First and foremost, I respected his candid opinions on lack of meritocracies in a chauvinisticaly regulated environment adopted in Malaysia. He has put forward a moderate opinions on developing the human capital of Malaysia and country as a smart country. A good intention, but I doubt the present administration has the political wills and backing of the elitists.
First and foremost, with due respect, let me put forward this observation in relation to Datuk Zaid's opinion :
After more than 48 years of independent, we are still the uncounciously willing victims of the colonist's “divide and rule” policies. The present administration is still adopting the “Bumiputra and Non-Bumiputra” approach in implementing official policies. Malaysians are still required to mark their “Racial Origin” in all official forms. Political parties are formed along racial lines. The sad fact is, we are still kowtowing to the old and outdated colonist's system.
The original concept of “Islam Hadhari” as championed by the Prime Minister is a good and practical system that ensure balance development of infrastructures and environment, fairness and equality for all Malaysians, and the creation of knowledge societies based on culture of innovative mindsets. But in reality, I do not see any real promotion for the implementation by any governmental organizations.
In most part of the world, governmental initiative of affirmative actions basically means the adoption of small preferential treatments for minority groups at the expense of small sacrifices of the Majority groups. But in Malaysia, the affirmative action is based on the concept of the minority groups supporting the Majority groups. Economically speaking, I doubt this can go on perpetually in the long terms.
In reality, we are still bounded by the Marxism of the early century of social contracts and social engineering without taking into consideration of the present global's competitive environments. The noble ideas of social contracts initiated and formulated in the 50's is obsolete and no longer valid. But out of convenience, and as human beings, greeds and selfishness compelled us to hold on to these material gains and demand more along racial lines.
The bottomline is, are we willing to sit down in a round-table as Malaysians and think as a Malaysian to formulate policies and strategic directions ? Or do we still want to sit down in a round-table as Malay, Chinese, Indian, Kadazan, Iban, etc. to champion each other's racial rights at the expense of the nationhood of Malaysia ? The choice is really at the hands of the elected representatives sitting in the parliament of Malaysian.
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Making the most of the best and brightest
19 Apr 2006
ZAID IBRAHIM
Published in New Straits Times, Malaysia
Government nannying and restrictive affirmative action policies will hinder the development of Malaysia’s human capital, argues ZAID IBRAHIM. THE emphasis on the development of human capital under the Ninth Malaysia Plan is appropriate and deserving of special mention. It is true that the development of infrastructure and superhighways has propelled this country to great heights, and to sustain this economic well-being, we may require more "hardware" to support higher economic output. However, it is impossible to maintain our present economic status, let alone achieve developed nation status, without world-class manpower and highly skilled workers. What is needed is a holistic approach to creating a framework whereby knowledge and skills are developed; where society puts a premium on ideas and the country values people who are intelligent. As aptly said by Sir John Rose, CEO of Rolls Royce: "In future we will speak less and less about underdeveloped, developing and developed countries; but more and more about smart, smarter and smartest countries."
Do we have this policy of building a competitive world-class knowledge society, with a First World mindset that the Prime Minister advocated in his 9MP speech? It is easier said than done, and I believe this prong of the Plan is the most challenging to achieve. First, we must subscribe to meritocracy as a desirable and valuable proposition; which is worthy of support as it is an ethical proposition. Only through a vigorous adoption of this policy can we achieve a world-class economy. How else can we garner the best and the brightest to serve the country if we are not resolute about developing and nurturing them? It is impossible to get the best to serve the country in any field of human endeavour unless we value and reward them accordingly.
The emphasis on meritocracy does not mean we have to abandon our desire to help the disadvantaged among us. The compassion we offer to the less fortunate and the less gifted must continue. However, no allowances should be made to accommodate mediocrity and laziness. Every citizen must be given their just place under the Malaysian sun. Intelligent, innovative people are demanding, mobile and wanted the world over. Where necessary, we must induce and encourage young Malaysians to return home. I have met many young Malaysians overseas who express a longing to come back, if only they are recognised and valued. Some of them are "not qualified" — they did not obtain a credit in Bahasa Melayu, or pass the SPM or equivalent examination or are the casualties of poorly executed government policies. But should they not be accommodated through the adoption of flexibility in the application of rules in exchange for the skills and expertise they have to offer?
I did not obtain a credit for Bahasa Melayu, not something one should be proud of. But one can still contribute and serve patriotically without it. In those days, a credit in Bahasa Melayu was not a prerequisite for university admission, scholarship awards or applications to join the civil service, as long as one had other suitable qualifications. If we are more flexible about such matters, we may be able to persuade the best to return to serve the country.
Secondly, we must overcome this obsession with racial statistics within the various contexts — corporate ownership, the civil service, the number of professionals in the country, and student ratios in schools and universities.
I am not asserting that existing affirmative action policies established to assist Bumiputeras should be abandoned. I believe the best way to assist Bumiputeras is to nurture their competitive streak by restoring their self-belief and pride; and inspiring and encouraging them to earn their stripes like others.Past or existing affirmative action policies extending assistance to Bumiputeras must be reviewed to remedy drawbacks because these have contributed to unhealthy practices and inculcated a feeling of alienation among some Malaysians.
The way to develop a healthy society with considerable social capital is to re-instil a sense of harmony and solidarity among the various races. The negative aspects of the New Economic Policy must not be glossed over but resolved with care and objectivity.
Policies that are unnecessary or demean the capability of the Bumiputeras should be removed. Of what value is the five per cent discount for wealthy Bumiputeras when buying luxurious property, or giving children of senior government servants scholarships to study abroad?
Surely the elimination of such practices reflects our progressive ethical values. It will also enable us to extend the benefits to other deserving Malaysians. Why are we so obsessed with numbers vis-a-vis other Malaysians when the actual adversaries are those from outside, equipped with more capital, knowledge and military power ready to consume us?
The eradication of racial politics and policies will provide a conducive environment to nurture and foster intra-community trust whereby social capital will then develop from which economic benefit will consequently follow.
Third, the development of manpower capabilities requires an environment that is conducive to intellectual growth and stimulation. Such an environment would encourage and promote the rational pursuit of knowledge, reward healthy competition and be pragmatic in its approach.
Religion can be a powerful force for progress to the extent that it nurtures rationality and objectivity, encourages accumulation of wealth and promotes ethical behaviour.
However, if religious pursuit nurtures irrationality and intolerance, inhibits or is ambivalent about material pursuits and over-emphasises the "other world", then its adherents are likely to be indisposed to economic development, and may even be susceptible to passivity and prone to a fatalistic world view.
Therefore, we need a freer environment with little or fewer dogmas and restrictions in our rules or policies. We must be willing to grant some autonomy to our academic institutions, protect freedom of expression to allow our media to comment and inform without fear of prosecution, and nurture intellectual growth through open debate by academics on crucial issues of public importance. There is a need to allocate adequate financial resources for research and development to enhance their scholarship.We must have the freedom to access information and literature, to explore ideas and seek knowledge without rigorous censorship from Jakim (Malaysian Islamic Development Department). These are fundamental prerequisites in a society that values knowledge, ideas and innovation. We must adopt and adapt the cultural values of the First World if we are determined to compete against them on the playing field of knowledge.
There is plenty of hogwash among the plethora of ideas and practices from the smart countries of the West. However, that is the challenge for the citizens to identify and sift through. The Government must have faith and confidence in the people to allow them the freedom to make informed choices about what is good for them. Knowledge, wisdom and experience, more often than not, are to be found from the most unlikely of sources, and an over-protective, paternalistic Government would only inhibit the growth of its own people.
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