Time to Move On.

Salam and Good day to all

Recently, we read in our mainstream media; our national plans to step ahead, to transform Malaysia from a middle income nation to an advanced nation. Quoting from the executive summary of the plans;

“The old growth model provided three decades of outstanding performance, permitting Malaysia to provide for the health and education of its people, largely eradicate poverty, build a world-class infrastructure and become a major exporter globally. Our people are wealthier and better educated. They live longer, travel more and have greater access to modern technologies than any previous generation.

But the progress we have made over the past half-century has slowed and economic growth prospects have weakened considerably. We are caught in a middle income trap – we are not amongst the top performing global economies. Amid changes in the external environment, many of the policies and strategies we used to achieve the current state of development are now inadequate to take us to the next stage. Our economic growth has come at considerable environmental cost and has not benefited all segments of the population. The government must confront these realities and make tough decisions.”

Our country has been defined a "new industrialized country", (NICs are countries whose economies have not yet reached advanced economy status but have, in a macroeconomic sense, outpaced their developing counterpart (from the Wikipedia)). However, we are still stuck in the middle-income trap, like earthbound spirits between the high-income & high skilled labour economies (Europe, Japan, USA) and low-income, low skilled labour intensive economies (Indonesia, China and India). It leaves us in limbo as we are not fully technology-savvy enough to compete with rich countries and are not cheap enough to compete with low-income countries. Something needs to be done. To achieve a full-advance economy status, Malaysia must develop itself as a "service and value add manufacturing economy" before it can move on to advanced economy country. As for "something-needs-to-be-done" thingy, our government has already taken some excellent steps in the right direction.

As a matter of fact, we can not deny the progress (slow) we are having, but what matters most, a quantum leap to move on. This is the time where all people, from all walks of life to gear up and get ready to embrace these challenges. yup, it does sound like a fairy tale to most, but sooner (not later), we have to change the way we are doing things. I do agree, there are several factors will hamper this vision. Bad politics, corrupted government, and so forth. A cliche of our times.

So what we can do?
Simple: at least from my perspective (better than doing nothing).
Everybody has a role to play.
Be the best in all positive things you are doing.
As a researcher (me, myself), stay focus with your work, have fun in creating new things, inventions. Stay away from all mentally retarded stuffs. Stay away from all melancholic things.
As a student, find your strength, explore your niche, know your path. Insya' Allah, you will find more great things ahead.
As a Malaysian, try to move on, no more lame excuses, "cakap2 kosong", improve your skills, (or atleast support those who are willing to move on).

Too radical? no doubt, it is. Things are changing in the blink of an eye. You are either with it or miss it. To all my fellow Malaysians, time has come. Time to move on. Time to redefine our future, and the way we are doing things.

Pakcik said: “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending. (from Maria Robinson)”