FORGET growth and development if governance issues are not even taken care of.
While the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) is a step in the right direction, pre-requisites to successful policy implementation include sufficient supply of skilled human resources, sustainable funds, and good governance.
Unfortunately, the five-year plan is facing problems on all three fronts due to persisting structural, economic, and political issues, according to Ameen Kamal who is the head of science & technology at EMIR Research, an independent think tank focused on strategic policy recommendations based on rigorous research.
“The 12MP and its predecessors have mentioned about addressing good governance through crucial reforms, but the seriousness and presence of political will in addressing this are severely in question,” opined Ameen.
“Issues such as fighting corruption, structural reforms to ensure separation of powers for proper rule of law, and other cancers of governance bred from cronyism, cartels, syndicates, and divisive/disruptive ethno-centric patronage politics run contrary to true inclusiveness and prosperity as envisioned in the 12MP.”
According to Ameen, these governance loopholes have persisted and capitalised upon over many decades, contributing to the failure of past plans and arguably causing the inability to overcome all challenges to become a “fully developed” nation as previously envisioned under Vision 2020.
“As outlined in 12MP, some of these challenges include the establishment of a united nation with a sense of common and shared destiny, a fully moral and ethical society, a scientific and progressive society, an economically just society, and a prosperous society with an economy that is fully competitive, dynamic, robust and resilient,” he pointed out.
“Without immediately addressing the root causes of these challenges, the concept of Keluarga Malaysia (Malaysian Family) remains a fantasy.”
In Ameen’s view, the same issues that have failed Malaysia in achieving its Vision 2020 over 30 years will not be the same reasons that would allow the country to achieve Shared Prosperity Vision 2030 in under a decade.
“The relationship between good governance and economic prosperity is firmly established in various anecdotal and empirical research,” he asserted.
Ameen also drew attention to the entire RM400 bil estimated for 12MP development expenditure which have to be borrowed.
As with any borrowed funds, the most important thing is to ensure that it is spent prudently and efficiently given the burden of increased debt is left to be dealt with by future generations.
“Unfortunately, despite the high stakes and critical situation the country is in, the situation now is a pervasive corruption culture among civil servants engaged in cartels of all kinds,” cautioned Ameen.
“Law enforcement officers are said to be in cahoots with syndicates. And politicians conspire with business elites with shady backgrounds involving questionable off-shore accounts – all made worse with what appears to be a ‘pay to get away’ scheme available for these elite individuals.” – Oct 20, 2021
