Re-assessing Malay Economics-1

Re-assessing Malay economics.

I am not going to offer apologies for speaking about Malay economics. This is the biggest headache. If our PM doesn't solve this problem, everything else will be on a grid-lock.

His NEM is going to fail if he doesn't have the political will and iron-fisted determination. It will also fail if he doesn't put in place a first class government machinery. 1.2 million- strong civil service isn't good if it doesn't have the quality to implement. 

First and basic of all, if he exhibits ambivalence, a dithering posture, his NEM will fail. If he has this tweedle dee tweedle dum behavior, one day this, next day that style, his NEM will fail.

His NEM is premised on market driving forces. At least, in theory he has got this part of his thinking right. The fundamental rule is- never go against market forces. The essential element of market forces is competition. A position attained is but temporary because, competition drives competitors to dislodge you. Unless of course, that eminent position was attained by non competitive means, by fiat, decree or plain legislation. In that way, prominence and eminence will depend on continued non competitive policies and maybe even coercive power instruments.

Insisting on eminence premised on inherent rights and inherent privileges for example is a clear position that is against market forces. It will fail. Insisting that NEP policies must remain, is just against market forces. Because that way, you institutionalize privilege and ascriptive norms. You institutionalize corner-cuttings, free loadings etc. most importantly, you institutionalize a non competitive culture.

You simply can't develop a country based on these elements- cutting corners, short cut to everything attitude, shyness to hard work. You can't develop a country believing it will because of who you are. I mean, the country doesn't develop only because you are Tun Razak's son, or Hussein Onn's son or Mahathir's son. It's got to be based on the bricks and mortar principle- hard work and usage of the material between your ears.

Once you institutionalize the bad habits they become culture.

Our PM must realize quickly that culture is our country's DNA. How do you re-constitute it? Not by pussy footing. It requires laser and invasive surgery. Cultures that evolve and adapt to external stimuli thrive, those that don't, fall behind. Or those that deliberately resist will fall behind. Something along the line Ibrahim Alis of this world proposed.

That is the reason , the principal reason indeed why I think the resolutions arrived by Perkasa will not be included in the NEM because they are incompatible with the NEM. Its too premature to say, the PM accepts the resolutions of the Malay Economic Congress. Not because PM Najib doesn't want to, but mainly because he knows incorporating non competitive elements will derail his NEM. But he doesn't have that courage to say no.

Which is troubling. Because it reflects his lack of that iron fisted determination and drive to see the NEM goes through. And if he abandons his NEM after spending so many man hours and money and PR-ring his masterpiece, he will certainly be categorized in the same class with the Sultan of Slumber- the accidental PM.

And so yes, culture is the issue. I have written that UMNO leaders and leaders of this country need to think about culture if they haven't done so or read about it if they haven't done so. If you put in a culture that doesn't place much value in learning and scholarship, doesn't reward a person for his intelligence and education and industriousness, you are going to slow down progress. Why should anyone try harder if he knows the next mamat who has less education, fooled around during college and at universities is going to be rewarded more? At the very least, such a person develops lifelong cynicism and disdain.

A culture that doesn't place much value at all on achievement norms( by which we measure a man based on what he is capable of doing vs. ascriptive norms by which a man is measured based on who he , his father and family is.) is bound to put in a system that is going to slow down progress.