Towards A Competitive Malaysia #38
Chapter 7 People: Our Most Precious Asset (Cont’d)
A Bigger Fish Story
I could make this fish story bigger; the story, not the fish. Consider a leader determined to redeem his tribe’s reputation or fed up with his people being the butt of fish jokes for their ineptness. He wants to turn his people into super fishermen and women, and recruits experts to teach them. Everyone must devote so many hours a day to that activity. He would supply them with the latest and most expensive fiber optic rods, mechanized reels, and high-tech lures. Those who do not bring in their quota would be punished, while those who haul in the trophies would be rewarded with honors and prizes. Soon the tribe would duly be recognized as the best, and with it the bragging rights and the smug claims on the innate ability of their people, the superiority of the culture, and of course their enlightened leadership.
Meanwhile the leader of another tribe was not interested in such competitions and bragging rights. He was more concerned that his people have enough to eat (be it fish or vegetarian diet, he could not care less) and that their individual talent be fully realized. If one is an inept fisherman but could instead produce delicate woodcarvings, let him be. He could trade his carvings for fish anyway; that would be his choice.
As that tribe was not obsessed with fishing, its members were free to pursue their individual passions and dreams. The guy who could not figure out which end of the rod to put in the water may have a passion for science. A few years of tinkering in his laboratory, he came up with the idea of fish farming. He now feeds not only his tribe but also the whole valley. Now he could match the trophy catch of the star fishermen of the other tribe by merely scooping his net into his pond instead of spending hours casting his rod. Others may scoff at his “fishing” skills, but he puts fish on the table, where it counts.
The lesson is clear. The first leader is concerned primarily with winning the fishing derby and the associated bragging rights, and only secondarily to ensuring that his people have enough fish to eat. He could not be bothered on whether their individual talent were fully realized. The second leader is not concerned with trophies, only that his people have enough fish by whatever means (fishing, fish rearing, or buying it from others), and for his people to develop their potential and pursue their dreams.
It is for this reason that I am not enamored with leaders who subjugate the talent and dreams of their citizens in the pursuit of some national agendas and priorities. The only agenda and priority should be that the people be given the fullest opportunity to develop their talent and pursue their individual dreams.
Application to Poverty Reduction
This concept is applicable to such important issues as poverty reduction. A proven poverty-reduction strategy is through increasing economic, especially trading, activities. Going by my earlier thesis, it would be best to focus on the midlevel first, then the high-end, and lastly, the bottom layer.
The high end of business activity would be encouraging the creation of publicly listed and other large corporations, followed by professional firms like those of lawyers, doctors, accountants, and engineers. The middle would be to nurture enterprises like restaurant operators, sundry retailers, car mechanics, electricians, and plumbers. The bottom end would be the hawkers, peddlers, and others that are normally part of the informal sector or underground economy.
In encouraging Malays to partake in business activities, it would be best if the bulk of the resources and efforts were expended on the mid-level business enterprises. We could for example train sufficient number of Malays to be chefs, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and car mechanics to meet not only the needs of industry but also enough that some would venture out to start their own enterprises. Petronas could then give its petroleum retail station franchises to certified mechanics so they would be able to repair cars in addition to selling gasoline. That would be a natural fit. The government (through MARA) could also give these trained individuals seed money to start their businesses.
At the next level, the government could train enough professionals like doctors, lawyers and architects so some of them would venture out on their own. A few of the engineers would then start their own engineering or construction firms, and the doctors their own clinics. If we train enough Malays in agriculture or animal husbandry, and then give them the necessary support like land grants or loans, they would quickly revolutionize the farm sector. It would certainly be more effective and likely to succeed than simply exhorting our poorly educated peasant farmers to modernize themselves. They cannot, as they are incapable of doing so because of their lack of knowledge.
The highest level would be the major corporations. Again here, as with pouring help on the super fishermen, the impact would be readily visible. A new big factory would instantly employ hundreds, making an immediate significant contribution to the local economy. It is not surprising that governments would go all out to attract major corporations through giving preferential tax treatments and other incentives. In reality however, the aggregate employment and economic impact of such major corporations are less than the mid level enterprises. Malaysia goes further than merely attracting major corporations; it goes directly into businesses by creating its own GLCs and employing Malay professionals to run them. That effectively turns them into hired hands (albeit expensive ones) rather than true entrepreneurs and businessmen. Often, through political patronage or outright corruption and cronyism, they are professionals and executives only in name. They spend more time at UMNO meetings and schmoozing with political big shots than in the executive suites of the companies they manage.
A more effective approach would have been for the government to ensure that the investment climate is attractive and that there are profits to be made. Who cares whether the companies are local or foreign owned as long as they treat and pay their workers well and contribute to the economy? If an entity other than the government were to own the enterprise, the economic impact would still be the same. Besides, the government could now use those funds for education, healthcare, and other social investments.
If the government were to be involved in commerce, it should only be as a source of venture capital, inviting enterprising Malays with sound business proposals to apply for funding. Like a true venture capitalist, the government would take only partial equity ownership, with the purpose of eventually selling it and reaping the profit and starting the cycle again. The entrepreneurs would put in their skills and efforts. That would ensure they would be prudent in their business decisions and pay more attention to their enterprises.
The last would be to encourage small petty businesses at the other end of the scale, the single and “mom and pop” operators like the satay and goring pisang hawkers and fishmongers. The cost per individual would be very small, a few hundred or thousand ringgit, enough for them to buy their supplies in bulk and effect considerable savings.
At another level, the government could build the necessary infrastructures to help these hawkers. The British introduced the “wet markets;” every town in Malaysia has them. They provide essential public (consumer) services as well as sources of employment. Visit any Malay village or urban community, and there are the typical pasar minggu (weekly market). These are potentially fruitful training grounds for Malay traders. MARA should build permanent structures so these hawkers could expand their trading days to two or three times a week, or even daily.
I do not underestimate the economic role of these micro enterprises. Muhammad Yunus, the Bangladeshi economist, with his Grameen Bank, uplifted hundreds of thousands of peasants from poverty through his micro credit lending to village peasants to do such simple things as buying sewing machines and supplies for weaving.1
While Malaysia spends billions on GLCs, it has no funds to build a market in Gombak, a predominantly Malay area of Kuala Lumpur. Those budding Malay traders have to contend with makeshift premises. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) purposely built many such stalls in Medinah so as to encourage Muslims to trade. He did not charge those traders to use the facilities, an early acknowledgment of the responsibility of the government to provide for such basic infrastructures. You can bet that the entrepreneurs produced through such activities would be more enduring and productive to the economy than the likes of such state-sponsored corporate tycoons as Tajuddin Ramli, hitherto of Malaysia Airlines. Those entrepreneurs would also be considerably cheaper and easier to produce, and their contributions to Malay society would be far more valuable and enduring than those puffed up moguls.
Next: Shared Malaysian Identity
January 4th, 2008 at 3:41 am
Dear Dr Bakri Musa,
You have written many well thought out possible solutions to help make Malaysia a better place for all. I am beginning to wonder if you have lost your plot. Allow me to explain. As a doctor, you would treat the symptoms to alleviate the pain and discomfort of the illness. Of course, the ultimate aim is to treat and cure the illness. In this aspect, correct diagnosis should be the priority. By spending more time on treating the symptoms I fear you have lost your plot for a better Malaysia.
The fundamental flaws in Malaysia is simply the lack of transparency, rule of law and, checks and balances. These can be effectively implemented with independent ACA, Judiciary and Press Freedom. We must assume human beings (no matter how religious, kind or honest) are susceptible to greed (corruption) and power (exploitation). Hence the need for a check and balance.
Your proposal is workable only in an ideal environment with transparency and accountability. My experience tells me that Malaysia has a long way to realize its full potential as a mature democratic country.
I started this post hoping to expose some of the barriers I experienced with local government officials but I think most readers should know the basic issues involved. It’s who you know that matters and, of course without the “commission” even your charitable initiatives would not take off without benefiting the corrupt officers. With race and religious issues currently being played out, Malaysia is no longer the country I grew up and knew. My family has recently emigrated overseas and all I can say is, “Malaysia, thank you for the happy memories”.
January 4th, 2008 at 7:34 am
Bakri, Marin maso ekau dudok kek sini, apo ekau tak bukak mulut ekau tu jang? Sekarang ni ekau dah berapuih kek sinun, apo lak ekau kesah an lai Malaysia ni? Apo ekau tau tontang Malaysia? Ekau jadi macam pengkritik lain - ARM CHAIR CRITIC. Heboh tak tontu pasal. Riou lobih. Boto atau tidak, tak jadi hal. Kalau lah arwah Cikgu Musa masih hidup, agak eh malu dio mengaku abah ekau.
Ekau dah jadi orang amerika. Orang amerika nak preserve teh American way of life! Mak oi ia!! Orang Amerika jadi Emperor. Mano sajo amerika ado, dio nak jadi Maharajo. Ekau ingat Amerika ni hebat bona ko? Ekau buto ko? Tak nampak apo yang di buwek kek Iraq, Iran, Afganistan dan lain2 tompek?. Ekau lupo apo Maharajo Clinton buwek dalam ofis eh sama Budak Betino tu? Apo ekau ontok yo? Ekau ingat ekau ni hebat na ko? Sumo orang tak boto, ekau sajo yang boto. Ekau masih ingat lae tak hukum mengumpek? Jadi ekau jago la mulut ekau tu sikit. Ekau tengok lah dulu anak / bini Karen ekau tu? Semayang eh boto tak, poso tak budak2 ni? Tak yah lah ekau pandang jaoh2. Pekso lah diri dulu. Kalau ekau ingat ekau ni handa, ado lae yang lobeh handa; kalau ekau ingat ekau ni kayo, ado lae yang lobeh kayo. Ronti an apo yang ekau buwek ni. Taubat lah…
January 4th, 2008 at 10:20 am
Stebeng
Fikiran macam ini yang menjadikan Melayu hamba dinegeri sendiri. Lihatlah keadaan sekeliling bagaimana keadaan orang melayu. Sudahkah mereka maju? Apa itu makna kemajuan? Ada rumah besar, ada kereta menjalar tapi semuanya berhutang dengan bank. Adakah itu kemajuan dan kemerdekaan?
Orang melayu yang berhijrah saperti Bakri ada ajenda yang tersirat. Walaupun mereka sudah berhijrah mungkin ke Amerika atau Australia namun hati dan semangat mereka maseh dengan Malaysia dan ingin Malaysia mencapai taraf kemajuan dari segi pemikiran rakyat dan kebebasan (bukan saperti yang ada diMalaysia sekarang)
Saya sudah membaca tulisan anda dan saya fikir anda saorang yang terpelajar tapi mata anda maseh tertutup atau miungkin pandanagn anda dikelaburi oleh kemelayuan dan tidak menerima pandangan yang berbeza. Cubalah sesekali buka minda anda. Tak semuanya yang dipraktik di Malaysia itu bagus. Banyak contoh terutama sekali tentang Islam yang diguna pakai diMalaysia. Ianya bukanlah yang terbaik atau yang tulen.
Di Amerika Islam membangun dengan pesat. Tiap tiap bulan dengar berita penubuhan masjid baru (tanpa bantuan dari kerajaan) Di waktu sembahyang Jumaat, mesjid penuh. Di Hari Raya, mesjid terpaksa sewa Dewan Konvensyen untuk Solat Idil Fitri atau Idil Adha. Dewan yang boleh muat 5,000 hingga 10,000 jemaah satu khutbah. Di bulan Ramadhan orang Islam diAmerika berpuasa tanpa dipaksa oleh mana mana jabatan islam. Mereka berpuasa kerana tuntutan Allah. Inilah dia Islam yang sebenar, tanpa paksaan hanya dengan ikhlas.
Orang melayu dibuai oleh materialisma walhal dunia maseh lebar yang belum dipelupuri. Janganlah marah tentang kritikan Bakri. Jika kritikan itu bagus ambillah sebagai tauladan. Jika tak bagus jangan ambil endah.
January 4th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
Dear Another ex-Malaysian
In case you have not noticed some 40 – 80,000 Malaysians, under the Bersih banner, marched in Kuala Lumpur on November 10 last year for free and fair elections. These are the pro-active Malaysians who love the country and want it to get back on the right track. And more marches have been planned to drive home the point the Malaysians want a better Malaysia.
You appear to have missed that point because you have left the country and therefore are either not concerned or discerning.
You say that Dr. Bakri has lost the plot, something I disagree with. But I think you are missing the wood for the trees.
I think you are the kind who returns to Malaysia on occasion to feel the warmth and taste the nice food, then scoot off back to your newly adopted country, each time leaving behind a sarcastic “ Thanks Malaysia for the memories.”.
January 5th, 2008 at 8:23 am
Dear Dr Bakri,
Your comments about the need to make Malaysians and Malays competitive are behind time; so is your comment about the need for a market in Gombak. There is a big modern market building in Gombak. Even the SME loans are huge in value and numbers and the bulk of these loans (billions of ringgit) and contrary to the general belief, are given to non Malays (note statement by MCA chief 2 or 3 weeks ago).
January 5th, 2008 at 8:26 am
Dear Dr Bakri,
Your comments about the need to make Malaysians and Malays competitive are behind time; so is your comment about the need for a market in Gombak. There is a big modern market building in Gombak. Even the SME loans are huge in value and number, and the bulk of these loans (tenths of billions of ringgit) (contrary to the general belief), have been given to many, although the bulk has been given to non Malays (note press statement by MCA chief 2 or 3 weeks ago).
January 5th, 2008 at 9:27 am
abradin
The article was written by Dr Bakri quite some time ago. It is a chapter from one of his books. Thus it seems outdated. Perhaps it may interest you to read his current books as well as previous publications.
January 5th, 2008 at 9:30 am
Dear Outsider,
“…some 40 – 80,000 Malaysians, under the Bersih banner, marched in Kuala Lumpur on November 10 last year for free and fair elections”.
I hope you are not playing the number game. If you are then let me tell you that they are more than 80k having left Malaysia and many more planning to do so as I write.
You may disagree with my comment that Dr. Bakri has lost the plot but your sarcastic remarks on “..the kind who returns to Malaysia..” is uncalled for. You are no different from the typical Malaysian who open the mouth before they engage their brain. I think you probably follow the examples of your elected representatives in the govt.
Your remarks made many assumptions - please use your god-damned given brain to think!. Refute my comment rather than using adhominenm. The fact that many Malaysians including Dr. Bakri have emigrated does not mean we are any less patriotic.
If you do not understand what I am trying to say in my last post, please read again. Treating the symoptoms is not going to solve the underlying problem, it only provide a temporary relief. You can see the analogy with many fixes that the government is doing in Malaysian.
January 5th, 2008 at 9:38 am
Apologies: correction “ad hominem” and ” doing in Malaysia”
January 5th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
Dear Another ex-Malaysian
I have not questioned your judgement in leaving Malaysia and neither have I questioned your patriotism.
You have left because you probably consider Malaysia a sinking ship and I respect that as your right too.
You say 80,000+ have left and I also do not question that figure, which probably is a sum total since the 1960s. However, I know some who also have returned but that does not make them anymore or less “patriotic” than you.
But when you say Dr. Bakri has also emigrated, like you, that’s wrong. For your information Dr. Bakri told us he has been warned by the authorities that he could be risking life and limb if he ever returns to Malaysia.
Please enjoy your retirement in a foreign country. Return when it pleases you for the money you bring back to spend, like tourist money, will always be welcome. And of course, you should be grateful and thank Malaysia for the memories. After all, it is a place which nurtured a “patriot” like you .
January 5th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
Dear friends,
The writing has been on the wall for a long time. Dr. Bakri has written not one book, but a number of them, not mention countless articles week in and week out. He identified our problems and made numerous suggestions.
We know that we are losing out to our neighbours and have become economic laggards. Yet, we sit idly by, and vote into office for the last 50 years the UMNO-BN clique that has now become blind to reality, arrogant and corrupt.
We who have chosen to remain here must stand up and be counted. There is a need to change. Unfortunately, most of us are still scared of change since we are addicted to a certain lifestyle and seem to think this culture of mediocrity is fine. In truth, this is a false sense of security. This is kiasu!!
In the meantime, we engage in our usual past time: we grumble, quibble and dither while those in power in cahoots with their cronies are raking in billions for themselves and their families.
Come join me and we can change Malaysia. It may involve some risks, of course. In my view, the risk will be higher if we do nothing to make our country a better place for all. Let us take ethnicity out of the political equation and work towards a society which rewards individual effort, risk taking, and solid hard work.
January 6th, 2008 at 2:37 am
The government act like a snake
January 6th, 2008 at 6:37 am
Dear Din Merican
I’m with you on that. Like I said before my vote will go to KPR.
January 6th, 2008 at 6:40 am
Sorry, I meant Keadilan Parti Rakyat (KPR)