IT would be food for thought to sometimes wonder where we would be today without the magic words “Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka!” and the Midas touch of our greatest and first prime minister and Father of Independence, the late Tunku Abdul Rahman.
We are grateful to Tunku, Tun Tan Cheng Lock, and Tun V. T. Sambanthan for giving us the opportunity to call ourselves Malaysians – a nation made up of the blood, sweat, and tears of every Malaysian who worked day and night to build the nation that is today.
Back then, we were more cohesive and united. Our dreams and desires were reasonable. Our needs were simple. We practised tolerance, we enjoyed peace and harmony, and we stood united. We upheld friendship and camaraderie among one another. We were not rich, but we were happy.
Today, we live only in the shadows and memories of that once tranquil time. This is made even clearer after the recent six state elections. In terms of wealth, we are rich, with our GDP growing by an average of 6.5% from 1957 to 2005 and peaking performance in the early 1980s through the mid-1990s as the economy experienced sustained rapid growth averaging almost 8% annually.
However, these achievements take a backseat as we are still at the bottom of the happiness index. We are divided. We are racist and intolerant of one another. We are so insular and sensitive.
In the midst of our journey to excellence, some of us must have taken a detour whereby our teachings and moral values fell prey to a 180-degree turn, resulting in our country rapidly falling and amassing negative values and lessons along the way.
Our upbringing, our neighbours, our religious practices, our school system, our economic success and achievements, our focus on brick and mortar, our lack of focus on human capital development – which one of the above do we hold responsible for our drastic plunge? What or where did we err to end up where we are today?
Our system – we cannot trust it, we doubt our government policies, we place no faith in our political leaders, we question the people who are entrusted with power to guide and lead our nation.
One of the clear events that supports this case is the high number of Malaysians who have chosen to migrate. I may not have all the answers, but I can point to one thing – we failed to build our human capital.
Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Taiwan placed great focus on the areas of education, reform, and investment, bringing out the best in their respective countries and people.
Irrespective of their political situation, the people’s lifestyle has progressed rapidly, bringing in greater investments and producing more technocrats, scientists, educationists, software engineers, researchers, and developers to the core, thus paving their way into the first world league.
We need to look at this human capital development programme, which has brought success to several nations.
Education reform and investment
Enhancing the quality of primary, secondary, and tertiary education to provide a strong foundation for skill development, science, mathematics, and new technologies.
Investing in research and development to foster innovation and technological advancements.
Vocational and technical training
Establishing vocational and technical education programmes to develop a skilled workforce tailored to the needs of industries.
Creating partnerships between educational institutions and industries to provide hands-on training and real-world experience.
Scholarships and grants
Offering scholarships, grants, and financial incentives to encourage students to pursue higher education and fields of study that contribute to economic growth, irrespective of race and religion.
Science and technology initiatives
Supporting research and development in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields to drive innovation and competitiveness.
Entrepreneurship and innovation support
Creating incubators, accelerators, and startup ecosystems to nurture entrepreneurship and innovation.
Providing funding, mentorship, and resources to startups and small businesses.
Health and well-being programmes
Ensuring access to quality healthcare and promoting healthy lifestyles to maintain a productive and capable workforce. Greater retirement plans and health insurance schemes.
Language and communication skills
Focusing on language education and communication skills to facilitate international business and cooperation.
Global talent attraction
Implementing policies to attract skilled international professionals, researchers, and experts to contribute to the country’s growth.
Lifelong learning initiatives
Encouraging continuous learning and upskilling through adult education programmes and training opportunities.
Cultural and artistic development
Promoting cultural and artistic activities to foster creativity, critical thinking, and a well-rounded workforce, irrespective of cultural and religious differences.
Social safety nets
Establishing safety nets to support vulnerable populations such as the elderly, the handicapped, Orang Asli, and minorities, ensuring that all citizens have the opportunity to participate in human capital development.
Malaysia needs this kind of human capital development programme to protect our nation from all the infighting, discomfort, disorder, disrespect, and accusations the various political parties are making and claiming, and even winning elections for the wrong reasons.
Malaysia needs affirmative action programmes. We need good political leaders who are ready to serve the nation for good causes and not simply as dummy representatives of a political party. We desire leaders who are here to change rather than politicise any given situation.
No green wave can shake a good government, as everyone will be gainfully occupied and engaged in all sectors of the economy. There will be no more mat-rempits, gangsters, Ah-Longs, or an ageing population roaming the streets.
My Merdeka dream is to shake the government and the people by bringing programmes that will encourage development irrespective of race or religion.
The Selangor Sultan said it so clearly, “Stop politicking and start working”. We must start working and bring these human capital programmes into action. These will cause a total change in our nation. The poor and the weak, the rich and powerful, employers and employees, the private and government sectors, and people from all walks of life will benefit from these holistic programmes.
Once the ground issues are settled, the investors will certainly come to our shores. We have proven this many times. We are the best country in Southeast Asia.
Be it semiconductors, cars or aircraft parts, pharmaceuticals, defence materials, telecommunications, or electronic home appliances, we can and have produced them far better than China or Vietnam. The labour costs, too, must be revised to match our performance.
Politics should be confined within the party premises; policy formations and healthy debates must be conducted in Parliament; and policies are to be executed through the civil service.
The private sector focuses on performance and greater employment opportunities. Educational institutions focus on churning out market-driven students to meet the changing landscape of the world.
This formula will keep our nation growing and glowing. We can be rid of politics and stand as one united nation gearing towards the true ambitions of Merdeka.
SELAMAT HARI MERDEKA! – August 31, 2023
Ravindran Raman Kutty is a public relations practitioner and community leader