MANY discussions took place at the recently concluded business                                                                                        
and economic summit organised by the Asian Strategy and                                                                                               
Leadership Institute (Asli).They turned out to be revealing                                                                                           
exercise at articulating and clarifying the strategic intent                                                                                          
for Malaysia in the next 10 to 15 years.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
There were four imperatives of such a strategy. As identified                                                                                         
by Noordin Sopiee, these included independent thought,                                                                                                
sophisticated judgment, brutal realism and creativity, courage                                                                                        
and innovation.                                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                      
The papers and the discussion that followed focused on how                                                                                            
these four areas has influenced the formulation of policies                                                                                           
and strategies in both the public and private sectors.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
To these we must add three more elements: scope, speed and                                                                                            
security.  They would actually identify the approaches                                                                                                
available to decision- makers.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                      
Scope                                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                      
The parameters for the strategy were clearly spelt out by                                                                                             
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on the                                                                                         
first day of the summit.                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
In his opening address, he said the experiences of the last                                                                                           
economic crisis had taught the lesson that the country could                                                                                          
not withstand another moral hazard situation, where the                                                                                               
Government would be expected to step in and rescue ailing or                                                                                          
"mediocre" businesses.                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
To prepare for another such eventuality, we need to bring in a                                                                                        
new corporate paradigm for the professional managers, where                                                                                           
the lean corporation must hold sway and "know-who must be                                                                                             
combined with know-how."                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
In presentations throughout the two days of the summit, other                                                                                         
expectations were offered: business as well as                                                                                                        
investor-friendly policies; increased competitiveness; low-                                                                                           
inflation economy; new attitudes and mindsets; going for                                                                                              
world's best practices; doing it now; and restoring a sense of                                                                                        
mission among the people.                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
In his refreshing presentation, Kamal Salih listed several                                                                                            
critical success factors that would have to be considered.                                                                                            
There must be competitiveness through trade, value added                                                                                              
production through technology, increased financial flows,                                                                                             
human capital development and harnessing market forces, and                                                                                           
promoting growth of enterprise.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                      
He even suggested that Government planners do away with the                                                                                           
mechanism of the Five-year Plans. He said the Outline                                                                                                 
Perspective Plan should be the main policy instrument                                                                                                 
complemented with the annual budget. The process is called                                                                                            
de-emphasising planning or actually "un-planning,"                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                      
Speed                                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                      
As explained by the speakers during the roundtable on "New                                                                                            
Business Models for Malaysia," in realising the goals of                                                                                              
Vision 2020, new models must be tried. These must necessarily                                                                                         
adopt, in order to achieve the quantum leap, new psychological                                                                                        
concepts and even be prepared to take unorthodox measures.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
A case in point was the economic recovery measures that were                                                                                          
put in place at the beginning of the economic and financial                                                                                           
crisis that hit the country in September 1997.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                      
As observed by Nor Mohamed Yakcop, unlike other small                                                                                                 
developing countries, Malaysia preferred the unbeaten path.                                                                                           
The leadership had wanted to do things differently even from                                                                                          
as early as the 1970s, when the Government implemented the New                                                                                        
Economic Policy                                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                      
The essence of speed was also clearly underlined by Noordin                                                                                           
Sopiee in his presentation on the K-Economy. He said the                                                                                              
quantum leap could only be taken with seven strategic thrusts.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                      
These are: secure world class workforce, ensure adequate                                                                                              
infrastructure, pursue R&D and if needed go abroad and shop                                                                                           
for scientists, make the whole country into a learning                                                                                                
organisation, put the private sector into high shift, identify                                                                                        
champions and get everybody involved. Interesting buzz-words                                                                                          
were "rob and develop" as well as "emulate and innovate."                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
Security                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
Most of the participants of the summit also believed that in                                                                                          
trying to set new goals for the country, an adequate social                                                                                           
security net must be maintained.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
This has been defined as: leaders to have more dialogues with                                                                                         
the people; members of Parliament should not engage in                                                                                                
business; the needs of the people and the nation must come                                                                                            
first; wealth creation must go hand-in-hand with wealth                                                                                               
distribution; and injustice, poverty and alienation should not                                                                                        
be allowed to exist.                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
Kamal Salih added a new dimension when he said that while                                                                                             
there was a movement towards enterprise growth, flexibility of                                                                                        
timing and the fundamentals-based approaches in the economy,                                                                                          
the rein-statement of the bumiputra agenda in any future                                                                                              
strategy ought to be given a central focus.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
We were reminded of the recent debate on the issue of special                                                                                         
Malay rights.  The summit rightly chose not to ignore this                                                                                            
topic, but discussion was centred on the need to take                                                                                                 
cognisance of historical reality when dealing with this issue.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                      
Understanding must also proceed on the premise that the malays                                                                                        
should not be made to feel deprived and alienated. Here, the                                                                                          
private sector was called in to play a major role .                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                      
The rest of the summit's deliberations were taken by the                                                                                              
success stories of the various Government ministries, namely,                                                                                         
Transport, Agriculture and Tourism. The emphasis is on                                                                                                
explaining what have been their success formulas.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                      
The presentations by the Penang Chief Minister, the Johor                                                                                             
Menteri Besar, and the Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister , helped                                                                                         
to complete the big picture of the country's drive to win in                                                                                          
the new century.                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
Their strong points are a diagnostic and hands-on approach.                                                                                           
They would brook no mediocrity and they are ready to tell the                                                                                         
world all that they have been able to achieve.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                      
The Agriculture Ministry would like to make a difference with                                                                                         
technology. The target in the ports sector is to make the                                                                                             
country's ports the transshipments centre for the region and                                                                                          
to maintain connectivety with the shipping industry.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
In terms of the Tourism country, the aim is to make the whole                                                                                         
country into a tourism country. The minister called for the                                                                                           
private sector to think like world champions and to support                                                                                           
the Government's move in this direction.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
The role of the three gateway states of Penang, Johor and                                                                                             
Sarawak is to develop the human ware, enhance the quality of                                                                                          
life, and develop centres of excellence in all aspects.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                      
By all accounts, Malaysia's strategic intent is in good hands.                                                                                        
A similar response is now expected from the private sector.