Malaysia can still achieve “Asian Tiger” status if led by a visionary prime minister who can unite Malaysians across all racial and religious divides, says an opposition MP.
In an exclusive interview with FMT, Bersatu’s Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal said the country must recalibrate its policies and shift its value systems to achieve this vision.
“I believe such a vision still holds water for our future generations. What we need now is a recalibration of our focus areas to better position ourselves for success.
“We should aspire to claim that title over the next 50 years,” he said.
The term “Asian Tigers” was popularly used in the 1980s and 1990s to describe the fast-growing economies of Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong — all of which have since achieved high-income status.
Malaysia was tipped to be the fifth “Asian Tiger”, but its economic growth was derailed by the 1997 Asian financial crisis.
The Bersatu Supreme Council member said Malaysia checks all the boxes to achieve high income status. He pointed to the country’s strategic location at the heart of Asean, its relative immunity to major natural disasters, and the rich tapestry of diverse cultures and traditions present.
“All these ‘ingredients’ must be ‘cooked’ by a prime minister who has the vision to rally all Malaysians transcending race and religion.
“We have multilingual talents. We are proficient in English, and that would easily attract investment, compared to our neighbouring countries,” he said.
Wan Fayhsal also said the nation’s leaders would need to be committed to a reform agenda that prioritises long-term progress over political expediency.
“The agenda has to be democratically inclusive, and it has to involve everyone, not just the royalties and politicians, but also every single rakyat who pays tax in the country,” he said.
Education reform
Another crucial step for Malaysia to achieve high-income status, he said, is to reform the education system with a stronger emphasis on fostering interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Wan Fayhsal said the government’s lack of promotion in these areas has resulted in a shortage of role models for the younger generation.
“We all know very well that the youth are currently not interested in venturing into hard sciences or technical sciences.
“That is why the entire value chain of the education system must be corrected and reformed with the right model and syllabus,” he said.
However, Wan Fayshal also urged educators not to overlook liberal arts subjects that nurture imagination and creativity, noting that some of the most innovative technologies on the market have come about by blending together humanities and engineering.
