One year after a historic regime change, Malaysia’s politics remain a combustible cocktail of sleaze and power lust. At least the economy is on the right track, even if it’s nowhere close to fulfilling its potential.
He turns 94 on July 10 and has an agreement to hand over at an unspecified date to former deputy Anwar Ibrahim, whom he jailed in 1998 on sodomy charges. But when political analysts began to suggest that Mohamed Azmin Ali, the PKR deputy president, was positioning himself as Mahathir’s preferred successor, videos emerged purporting to show Azmin and another man engaged in sexual acts, a crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison under Malaysia’s colonial-era sodomy laws.
That would be a shame since the government is only starting to address Malaysia’s long-term structural weaknesses. Previous prime minister Najib Razak is on trial over the 1MDB scandal, in which US$4.5 billion was allegedly embezzled from the state investment fund and laundered around the world. However, two recent developments suggest the government is sincere. Last month, state-backed institutional shareholders overwhelmingly rejected directors’ remuneration at FGV Holdings Bhd, which processes palm oil from fruit grown by Felda smallholders.
To address the first gap, Malaysia will embrace English for scientific subjects. The populist expediency of letting the Malay language dominate state-funded education has backfired. Mahathir, a physician by training, knows that only too well. While minorities are unhappy with an Islamist tilt in national education, some in the majority Malay community blame parallel Chinese and Tamil schools for deepening the racial divide.
Mahathir’s legacy may be a long-term vision document that extends well into the future, perhaps to 2057, marking the first century of independence from British colonialists. It may prove as far-reaching as the New Economic Policy of 1971, which set the tone for pro-Malay affirmative action that continues today.
Change your race based policies to one of Merit and performance based.
Great Article 👍. Imagine PAS-UMNO were to rule : 1) Heineken, Carlsberg, Genting, Magnum, Sportstoto, Damacai, GSC, TGV close down more than 100k jobs at stake. 2) All Banks need to change to Islamic rules, Billions of savings transfer out from the country. .....many more...
right track for msia economy? I guess u sleep too much !