Malaysia's Future Economic Direction

At present, the Western civilization is facing a gloomy economic environment with several countries risk going bankrupt. The United States, for example, is now managing their economy under a loan burden as high as $50 trillion.

What has happened to the Western civilization which was previously a big world economic power is the consequence of their failure in arranging their economy with balanced values.

Yet, despite the economic downfall in the West, several countries have emerged with the potential to become new economic powers. Right now, the term BRIIC (Brazil, Russia, India, Indonesia, and China) is so synonymous among political observers as far as this matter is concerned. BRIIC is an acronym of five countries which are experiencing rapid economic growth at the moment.

These countries are Brazil, Russia, India, Indonesia and China. Some also opine that Vietnam should be included as a country with an economy worth our attention.

So our concern is, where does Malaysia stand and head to in this new world economic order? For the Director General of the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM), Datuk Nik Mustapha Nik Hassan, after much reliance on the sector of installing components for international companies, the prospect of such an economy was seen no longer relevant in the current economic situation in this country. He said, Malaysia was no longer a strategic country for those companies in view of the rising labor cost in this country.

In comparison, China, India, Indonesia and Vietnam have a much bigger population. Indirectly, these countries have the advantage as they have a big number of experts with low labor cost.

Socioeconomic Implication
In this regard, Nik Mustapha said, the prospective Malaysian economy needed a comprehensive transformation to make sure that the exit of foreign investors would not slow down our national economic growth.

However, the exit of foreign investors will also plunge us into a big dilemma in terms of socioeconomic implication as a huge number of workers in the installation sector will lose their income source. And most of these workers do not have a high educational qualification that can assure their future.

Nearly 80 percent of local workers in most sectors in Malaysia, for instance, have a qualification up to Malaysian Certificate of Education (SPM, equivalent to O Level) only. These workers averagely earn about 1,500 Malaysian ringgit ($469) a month and they can be categorized as the middle income group.

In cities, people earning this income are categorized as the poor. "This is a serious crisis of human capital development because the remaining 20 percent skilled and professional workers would not able to fill the critical needs of the employment market.

Track for Economic Recovery

"To advance towards the goal of a developed country, Malaysia needs more skilled and professional workers with a majority of the people earn about 4,000 ringgit ($1,250) a month in average," he said.

Nevertheless, Malaysia is essentially on the right track for economic recovery as proved by the 10.1 percent growth of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the first quarter of this year.
We are also one of the top 10 countries with promising economic growth over the same period. This proved that the several approaches introduced by the government, especially over the past one year under the administration of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, are correct and effective.

Presenting 10th Malaysian Plan
The economic transformation policy has truly given a big impact to the economic growth in the country despite the world economic recession. The positive impact is expected to prevail in the anticipation of the presenting of the 10th Malaysian Plan (10MP) by the government next month.

It is hoped that all these approaches would eventually lead Malaysia to achieve the status of a high-income nation by 2020 and subsequently become a developed country.

At the same time, our country will continue to compete with new economic powers in the world especially our neighbors, Indonesia and Vietnam which are now developing rapidly. As far as time is concerned, we only have less than 10 years to achieve the status.

This is a critical period and all plans have to be put in order and initiated immediately but wisely. The government machinery is no doubt the most crucial component as it plays the major role in the implementation of the government policies.

Amending National Development Policy
They have to change the dimension of public services by including supplementary values to make sure that the government's targets can be achieved fast and effectively. In the efforts towards this goal, they certainly cannot avoid from introducing religious values such as responsibility, sincerity, honesty and always set the target to give their best.

"Therefore, when measuring the growth of our country every year, we also have to look into the social aspect, on top of the economic aspect. This is because economic growth is closely related to the development of the society and we can say we have made an economic success if the people enjoy a satisfactory living standard socioeconomically," he said. At the same time, he recommended our country to amend the National Development Policy every year to substitute GDP as the measurement of the progress of economy and social welfare.

Nuclear Security Summit

The world is often under the threat of destruction, whether it is attributed to the deeds of human beings or disasters brought down by the Almighty. While natural disasters such as earthquake, typhoon with all sorts of names, flood and tsunami are enough to teach a lesson to all livings on the earth, human beings directly conspire to destroy the world because of ego, revenge, differences in religion and skin color, arrogance, fighting for territories and all sorts of other reasons that they use to justify their ends, no matter what means they resort to.

Nuclear technology, in spite of benefiting human beings and the world, many lives have been sacrificed and many properties have been destroyed by it because of clashes. Human beings took tens of centuries to construct civilizations, all buildings constructed using sweat and millions of money, and the beautiful mother nature were destroyed in a blink of an eye.

The explosion of atomic bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki rang the curtain up on modern destruction and became a reality in human history. The usage of nuclear arms is now a huge threat to the world. When these dangerous weapons are used extensively, just by pressing a button from thousands of kilometers away or from a combat jet, the world would turn into a completely destroyed land in a blink of an eye.

Washington Summit
The two-day Nuclear Security Summit held in Washington starting 12 April is an important meeting for this world, which is full of controversies in this century, amidst the threat of terrorism and various forms of crisis -- from economic recession to racial and ethnic conflicts.

Though it is difficult for countries in this world to resolve the problem of proliferation, the summit will still work to find way toward a consensus. Countries invited to attend the summit are considered as having their own role to play. Malaysia is represented by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is undoubtedly concerned of global peace, in this two-day summit.

Najib's US Visit
Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is now in Washington for his nine-day working visit to the United States. He is one of the 40 world leaders to attend the summit upon invitation from President Barack Obama. Malaysia is not a country possessing nuclear weapons. Yet, Malaysia's attendance is deemed important to prove that Malaysia supports the effort to ban extensive use of nuclear weapons.

Malaysia acknowledges the importance to advance in nuclear technology for good purposes, such as energy and medical purposes. Nuclear technology can produce cheaper electricity and become an alternative to fuel in generating energy.

As a country with a majority of its population are Muslims, Malaysia's attendance in the summit is an example to show that Islam is not to be linked with terrorism. Nuclear terrorism must not linked with Muslims and Islamic countries.

Negative Development
As for nuclear arms, though the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) has become the 'bible' to countries with tendency toward developing technology of nuclear weapons, it often causes conflict.

Some countries continue with their weapon tests. The ban and the world's view are swept aside. In general, advancement of nuclear technology leads more to negative development. Today, the world seems cannot function without nuclear weapons. Without nuclear weapons, a country may have to bow to world powers possessing the destructive weapons.

Countries with nuclear weapons have the power to threaten weak countries. Superpowers especially the United States appear to be so prominent in controlling proliferation, but in the eyes of the world, this country has 'tested' its capacity when it attacked Iraq.

Fight Against Nuclear Terrorism
The United States is the most advanced country in nuclear technology. Several other countries also develop nuclear technology, but they are forced to confront with objection from various quarters, including warnings from the United States itself.

Some countries stand firm in developing nuclear technology on a concrete reason -- they do not become victims bullied by superpowers.

The issue of nuclear weapons often brings negative atmosphere to the world. All treaties on nuclear are seen to have certain motives. The United States uses nuclear terrorism to justify. All countries with nuclear technology program are often considered as having their own agenda.

Malaysia also has its agenda. Malaysia's agenda is to invite all countries in this world to move toward a peaceful world.

It is difficult for the United States to convince the world that its action to champion the cause of fighting against nuclear terrorism is sincere. For most countries, whatever comes from the United States, its sincerity is always disputable.

Many countries which have interest in the development of nuclear technology have different agenda from the United States. This is a huge challenge Obama has to face. Since Obama was the person initiated this summit, the world hopes to see a firm decision, especially in preventing proliferation.

Malaysia does not directly suggest that developing nuclear technology would destroy the world, but it will give support to developing nuclear technology for the benefit of the world.

Malaysia does not have any nuclear weapon or any weapon that could destroy the world. The world should listen to the countries that do not have their interest in the development of destructive nuclear weapons.

Hope for Positive Outcome
It is hoped that Obama administration will reduce the usage of nuclear weapons through its new policy on nuclear weapons and will give assurance that the United States will cut down its dependence on nuclear weapons for its national defense.

This can happen if the United States does not any new target to attack and this will definitely free the world from nuclear threat.

If the United States can do this, there is no reason why other countries, which also develop their nuclear weapons cannot do the same. There is no way for the United States to instruct other countries to close down their nuclear plants while they themselves can do whatever they want.
The world welcomes Obama's pledge to bring peace to the world. It is hoped that the summit this time will open a new page for the benefit of the world and all human kinds. Development of nuclear weapons must not be made as a defense strategy as it will eventually bring destruction to ourselves.

Malaysian Prime Minister's US Visit

Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's visit to the United States this time, the second time after he took over the prime ministership, is expected to bring huge meaning to the relations between Malaysia and the United States, as well as the United States with the Islamic world.

Objective of Present Tour
It is understood that President Barack Obama will ask advice from Kuala Lumpur in an endeavor to mend the relations of the United States with Islamic countries in line with the open attitude toward the Islamic world, which he expressed during his visit to Al-Azhar University, Egypt recently.

Datuk Seri Dr Jamaludin Jarjis, Malaysian Ambassador to the United States, hinted the matter to the Malaysian media persons who were here to cover Najib's official visit to the United States starting 11 April until 16 April. The first time he visited United States in the capacity of a prime minister was in November 2009.

The prime minister arrived here at noon on 11 April. He will participate at the Nuclear Security Summit here from 12 to 13 April on Obama's invitation.

He explained: "The change is drastic...the way the United States sees Malaysia as a developed Islamic country and an example for other Islamic countries. Of course, the government will consider to 'study' the relations with the United States."

Bilateral Discussion
Jamaludin said that a development like this was evident when Malaysia -- a nonnuclear country -- was invited to attend the summit. A total of 44 world leaders were invited to attend the summit.

In fact, he explained, Najib was the only leader from Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and one of the two leaders from Asia to have a bilateral meeting with Obama.
Najib-Obama meeting will be held right before the commencement of the Nuclear Security Summit. China is the second country from Asia, which is to have a bilateral discussion with the United States.

Jamaludin explained: "Obama's invitation to the prime minister to attend the summit is an honor to Malaysia because we are not a nuclear country. And it is seen as a leap in terms of Malaysia-US bilateral ties, and also the relations between the United States and Islamic countries in general."

Obama will only have bilateral discussion with nine of the leaders attending the summit. The summit, among others, aims to focus on the matter of nuclear security in addition to ensuring that nuclear technology will not fall into the hands of terrorists.

In addition to Obama, during the luncheon on 12 April, the prime minister will also meet with US Vice President Joe Biden, Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg, and Howard Berman, chairman of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Handling Threat and Security
In the context of handling threat and security, the prime minister will deliver his policy speech revolving around Malaysia's experience and achievement in handling the threat of communist at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) here on 14 April.

Tun Hanif Omar, former inspector general of police, and General (retired) Tan Sri Muhammad Hashim Ali, former Armed Forces chief, are also invited by the CSIS to the event.

Jamaludin also said that the prime minister would take the opportunity to explain the framework of the New Economic Model, which was launched at the end of last month when meeting investors and businessmen here and in New York, as a step to attract investment, particularly from the United States.

Meeting With Other Personalities
Among personalities he will meet include World Bank President Robert Zoellick and the chief executive officers of Coca-Cola, Intel, Motorola, and Conoco Phillips.

As a step to enhance Malaysian tourism and culture, accompanied by his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, the prime minister will launch the Festival of 1Malaysia Faces, a program organized by the Ministry of Information, Communication and Culture.

He said: "Our tourism sector does not have much promotion in the US and this is the best opportunity to promote Malaysia."

Attacks on Churches in Malaysia

On Friday, 8 January, four churches in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor were attacked with petrol bombs. On Sunday, 10 January, more churches in Taiping of Perak state, Bukit Mertajam of Penang, Malacca and Mini of Sarawak also suffered defaced or destruction by some religious extremists. All Citizens regretted deeply that such repeated occurrences of violent acts to destroy local churches have happened in Malaysia during the weekend.

Government Must Ensure Church Security
While the nation was shocked to see the religious fanatics destroying the nation's religious harmony on Friday, it was even more shocking for the community to notice that these religious extremists have continued their malicious acts on 10 January as well. Any deliberation in the destruction of religious sites is serious for it involves not merely the loss of property only. It can trigger greater chaos and more destruction and pose threat to national security.
In the worst scenario, setting fire on churches might lead to religious hostility between different faiths. The police must deploy more force, more undercover, and more intelligence agents to comb out the malicious extremists who did such condemning act to the nation in the dark.

People Must Remain Calm
While we urge all Malaysians to remain calm we also urge the police to resolve these arsons on local churches speedily so that peace and stability can be restore in the society.
Malaysian King Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak have also appealed to all Malaysians to keep their cool and not to support the act of these religious extremists.

Rebuilding Churches
Of all the damaged churches in Kuala Lumpur, the Metro Tabernacle Church that were thrown with petrol bombs and destroyed by fire. It was indeed a kind gesture for the Government to grand this church a church rebuilding fund of M$ 500,000 ringgit. We hope the Government's special care for other religions besides Islam can continue to flourish.
It is also worth mentioning that the Alliance of Muslim NGOs with the strengthen of having 100 organizations as members; have taken the initiative to extend a helping hand to help maintain rules and orders in the churches and Christian communities as and when required. We should continue to encourage and advocate this kind of mutual assistance spirit that prevails among different religious faiths in the country.