WITH the country’s economy in shambles due to the COVID-19 crisis, a prominent leader said that it was time for the Government to sit back and relook at how to rejuvenate the economy at the most micro-level possible, to ensure all Malaysians would reap its benefits.
One way, the Malay Consultative Council (MPM) opined was to look back at how the Second Prime Minister, the late Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, embarked on a nationwide programme to bring Malaysia out of poverty and illiteracy.
“The Government should re-empower the Implementation and Coordination Unit (ICU). Many people don’t know how invaluable it was in creating the economic progress we enjoy today,” its secretary general Datuk Hasan Mad told FocusM, in an interview.
Reminiscing the time under Razak’s administration, Hasan said that the former relied on three agencies under the Prime Minister’s Department (PMD) then to implement and coordinate various economic policies to uplift Malaysians.
The three agencies were the Economic Planning Unit (EPU), ICU and Social Economic Research Unit (SERU).
“Of course, every ministry has their own agencies but the three mentioned earlier were the pillars of PMD and their functions were very clear.
“While EPU focuses on making plans and periodic reviews, ICU was all about making the plans well-coordinated and implemented accordingly.
“SERU was tasked to ensure all policies are enacted based on proper data and research. It also makes evaluation on whether a certain policy or project brought the right impact to the people,” he added.
Hasan said that it was then the term “kitchen Cabinet” was made popular, where Razak and top officials from the agencies would meet in an informal manner to discuss national policies and get feedback from one another.
“They will make their own coffee, including Razak, and hold casual sessions to discuss about policies and the people’s grouses.
“But make no mistake about it. Razak personally monitored the implementation of policies by the ICU and the progress made by the state development officers (SDO),” he stressed.
Elaborating, Hasan said in those days, district officers (DO) wielded much authority, with them chairing the district development committee (JPD).
He added that even officers from other federal agencies, state assemblypersons and MPs would only sit as members of (JPD).
“And the DOs are monitored by the SDOs, who work closely with the state secretaries. In turn, Razak keeps tabs on the SDOs personally to ensure projects gets implemented accordingly.
“That was why in those days, Government projects get done even at the micro-level (districts) as there is close monitoring. Razak personally knew the SDOs and get reports from them frequently,” Hasan said.
All such coordination and implementation were monitored by the ICU and due to the structure involved, every officer, even the junior ones, were empowered to make decisions based on the locality’s need.
“I remember back in the 1970s, there was a flood in a district in Johor and crops got damaged. I was serving as a junior officer at the place then.
“The flood caused a lot of damage. Naturally, a lot of agencies came in to rebuild the place as it involved drainage, agriculture, roads and others.
“And this is where the DO steps in. He is authorised to take command and instruct officers from the various agencies on what needs to be done,” Hasan recalled.
He added that the control and command centre was effective and fast back then, despite having little communication tool and heavy reliance on telegram services.
“I remember an incident where a Government officer refused to cooperate on some project. The DO immediately send a memo to the ICU director general.
“In turn, the ICU director general instructed the director general of the ministry the officer was serving to remove the individual from the place within 24 hours, which was carried out.
“My point is, this was why Razak was effective in implementing various projects under the New Economic Policy (NEP) then. Everything was clear cut and the prime minister was hands on, unlike what’s happening now, “ Hasan remarked. – July 28, 2021
Photo credit: NST
