By Dr TARCISIUS CHIN                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
TEN years ago, on Feb 28, 1991, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr                                                                                          
Mahathir Mohamad unveiled Vision 2020 and the nine strategic                                                                                          
challenges that confront the nation.  Vision 2020 aims to                                                                                             
transform Malaysia into a developed country over a time frame                                                                                         
of 30 years. Ten years have passed and only 20 years are now                                                                                          
left to fulfil the vision.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
Over the last decade, we have prospered economically, and have                                                                                        
achieved much in developing the country as an attractive                                                                                              
investment haven for foreign direct investments. We have                                                                                              
political stability, good infrastructure, a literate                                                                                                  
workforce, and peace and security. Our development model is                                                                                           
the envy of many developing countries, and we are known                                                                                               
worldwide.                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
But Vision 2020 is more than just economic development. We                                                                                            
need to be reminded of the loftier purpose of the vision. In                                                                                          
the words of the Prime Minister: "By the year 2020, Malaysia                                                                                          
can be a united nation, with a confident Malaysian society,                                                                                           
infused by strong moral and ethical values, living in a                                                                                               
society that is democratic, liberal and tolerant, caring,                                                                                             
economically just and equitable, progressive and prosperous,                                                                                          
and in full possession of an economy that is competitive,                                                                                             
dynamic, robust and resilient."                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                      
The first and most fundamental challenge is national unity.                                                                                           
Judging by the events in recent times, this can be an illusive                                                                                        
dream, unless we can get our act together on an intra- ethnic                                                                                         
as well as interethnic basis. It will be very difficult to                                                                                            
fulfil the other challenges, and achieve developed status if                                                                                          
this most vital pillar of national integration is not                                                                                                 
realised.                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
Our energies have to be directed to meet the onslaught of                                                                                             
globalisation and technological advancement, the two main                                                                                             
drivers of change. We can ill-afford to be distracted by                                                                                              
sapping ethnic confrontations, crisis and turmoil.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                      
We need new approaches to managing ethnic and national unity                                                                                          
as we seem to move in cycles of eruption from time to time.                                                                                           
There should be mechanisms created for more effective                                                                                                 
dialogue, less sensational communication, and more trust and                                                                                          
respect for differences in our plural society.  Our failure                                                                                           
has been on the reaction front when we should devote resources                                                                                        
to proaction.                                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
If we can move from divisiveness to a fully functioning united                                                                                        
nation, achieving all the other challenges is not at issue, as                                                                                        
we collectively rise to meet the threats posed by                                                                                                     
globalisation and rapid technological advancement.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                      
First, the threat of globalisation.  As protectionism is                                                                                              
dismantled, we can expect an onslaught of global competition.                                                                                         
Unless we can create better value at lower cost, we will lose                                                                                         
out. Afta and WTO allow us to market regionally and globally,                                                                                         
but also open our domestic market to foreign competition.                                                                                             
Under the new regime, our concern should be less on marketing                                                                                         
our national car Proton as a single product, and more on                                                                                              
marketing car components to strengthen our manufacturing base.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                      
Second is the challenge of rapid technological advancement and                                                                                        
the high cost of obsolescence. This is the platform of the new                                                                                        
or knowledge economy, in which what is between the ears is                                                                                            
perceived to be more important in wealth creation than what is                                                                                        
in the bank.  Intellectual or human capital is the key                                                                                                
determinant of a nation's future prosperity.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
Coupled with globalisation, our aim should be to attract the                                                                                          
best possible talent to be serving the cause of our nation,                                                                                           
not to be the source of talent migration outwards.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                      
We already have an advantage.  The Multimedia Super Corridor                                                                                          
is our strategic initiative to jumpstart and leapfrog into the                                                                                        
ICT age. We have young people with innovative ideas, but our                                                                                          
problem is to convert ideas into practical commercial business                                                                                        
with marketing savvy to compete internationally.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
Apart from ICT, enormous strides have also been made in other                                                                                         
technological fields, for example, biotechnology and robotics.                                                                                        
Biotechnology has been given tremendous fillip, with the                                                                                              
mapping and sequencing of the human genome and the subsequent                                                                                         
development in stem cells, gene therapy and proteomics.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                      
Robotics has moved from supporting assembly line operations to                                                                                        
the mass consumer market of the home, as mobile robots, with                                                                                          
the ability to respond to language commands, are being                                                                                                
developed to assist in household chores.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
There is considerable excitement in the opportunities of the                                                                                          
future.  The challenge for the nation is to move up the                                                                                               
technological ladder, marketing our talents and services to a                                                                                         
global market, and competing to improve the quality of life of                                                                                        
all Malaysians.                                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                      
We have, in many parts of the world, Malaysians who are                                                                                               
already occupying very prominent positions, which shows that                                                                                          
we have the brainpower to compete.  To pool our collective                                                                                            
talent to respond to the challenge of fulfilling Vision 2020                                                                                          
requires that we act in concert.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
A primary prerequisite for this is the requirement that we                                                                                            
behave as a united nation. Again, in the words of Dr Mahathir:                                                                                        
"This must be a nation at peace with itself, territorially and                                                                                        
ethically integrated, living in harmony and full and fair                                                                                             
partnership, made up of one bangsa Malaysia with political                                                                                            
loyalty and dedication to the nation."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
Ten years have passed and the nation is still divided. Over                                                                                           
the last 10 years, the world has changed dramatically and                                                                                             
enormous opportunities have been created.  How can we exploit                                                                                         
these opportunities unless we have the inner peace of a united                                                                                        
nation, with a sense of common and shared destiny?                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                      
Management is about crafting vision and about its execution.                                                                                          
Intellectuals can contribute much to creating the vision. But                                                                                         
it will take tough and highly competent managers to translate                                                                                         
vision into fulfilment. Managing the execution of Vision 2020                                                                                         
is the greatest challenge to Malaysia yet.