Searching for good economic policies

Rafizi’s comments indicates that unity government’s policies are intellectually bankrupt

Murray Hunter It actually takes a sincere and learned person, particularly a politician to say his predecessor, Mustapa Mohamed should be given the opportunity to assist the Ministry of Economy on issues including, poverty eradication and strengthening the economy. Kudos to Rafizi for this.

Mustapa Mohamed was an evergreen politician and minister, who was known for his hard work. His ideas were conservative, and sometimes criticised for not being consultative enough, but he got the job done. Mustapa was a real technocrat, one of the few in the old Barisan Nasional and Ismail Sabri Yaakob governments.

Rafizi has said he will continue the ministries efforts along the same policy lines as Mustapa did during his tenure as Minister of Economy (in the Prime Minister’s Office). Let’s us hope this is without the NEP.

If this is really the case, then Malaysia didn’t really need a new government after all. Back in the early 2005, when Thailand wanted to push economic development, then prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra called in all the best economist available to advise the government. They called in the Harvard professor Michael Porter, who applied cluster theory to competitive strategy, the five forces model, value chain model, and competitive strategy. Porter’s ideas were all translated into Thai and all important civil servants were called to the National Stadium for a five night workshop, under lights, with study groups during the day. See Michael Porter’s Thailand presentation here

Thailand successfully developed their automobile cluster, and expanded their One Tambun One Product program throughout rural regions, after Porter’s assistance.

Rafizi should be thinking ‘out of the box’, and out of the vending machines as well. All the time in opposition should have given much needed time for Pakatan Harapan politicians to passionately think and develop their ideas, so they should very quickly be converted into good policy. Unfortunately they came into power without those passionate visions the Rakyat was waiting for.

Think tanks and consultants have jumped into the vacuum This vacuum has allowed think tanks with vested interests and crony consultancy companies, some of them just newly formed husband and wife teams to take on the policy role. Policy has become ad hoc and all around the place in Putra Jaya.

The government may have Malaysia Madani, but no hard and implementable policies. The policies coming out of the ministry of economy today will not eradicate poverty, and strengthen the economy. They will only enrichen consultants and contractors. Malaysia needs a paradigm shift just like what Thaksin did with his Thaksinomicsback in 2001. Malaysia is waiting.