Political Stability & Sustainability as Key Success Factors in Developing Malaysia: Perdana Discourse Series 4

By Perdana Leadership Foundation

Before Malaya's independence in 1957, the British segregated the Malays from the non-Malays for their own political and economical benefits, the outcome of which was a lack of inter-racial harmony although there was tolerance and accommodation. The segregation was further deepened because the Government established policies derived from mistaken assumptions of the social needs of different ethnic groups.

This monograph features the full transcript of the keynote address of the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, who explained how multi-racial Malaysia overcame ethnic differences to succeed as a modern nation, principally through political cooperation and social accommodation at the fourth Perdana Discourse Series held in April 2006. His speech is followed by presentations by former Transport Minister, Tun Dr. Ling Liiong Sik, academician Professor Dr. Faridah Hassan, youth political representative Ms Ismalina Ismail, and youth representative Mr. Logandran Balavijendran. Summaries of the findings of the student breakout sessions are also included.

The Perdana Discourse Series was jointly organised by Perdana Leadership Foundation, an independent research and archive institution dedicated to Malaysia's Prime Ministers, and Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), the biggest public university in Malaysia. This monograph is a useful introduction to Malaysia's policies on race relations, with historical references to provide context.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Perdana Leadership Foundation
• Release date: Aug 15, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370486014

Perdana Leadership Foundation

Perdana Leadership Foundation was chartered in January 2003 as a non-profit organisation, founded with gifts from people who supported the vision of a thriving research and learning institution dedicated to the study of Malaysian leadership and nation-building. It is unique in the sense that it began as an entirely private sector initiative, seed-funded and organised by private sector individuals and corporations. Most of the Foundation’s present trustees were the early benefactors of this Foundation. The Foundation’s physical home in Precinct 8, Putrajaya, was completed in October 2003. The stately building now houses the Perdana Library, an auditorium as well as a multi-purpose hall in addition to the offices of the Foundation’s Honorary President and Malaysia's fourth Prime Minister, YABhg Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad. A tax-exempt, non-profit organisation, the Foundation intends to become the premier institution for the study of Malaysia’s Prime Ministers and the central resource centre for research into national stewardship as well as a platform for reflection, debate, and discussion with distinguished figures in Malaysian leadership. On May 10, 2005, the Foundation was officially launched by the fifth Prime Minister, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. who expressed the government's full support for the Foundation's objectives and programmes Perdana Leadership Foundation aims to: Highlight the contribution of Malaysia's past Prime Ministers in the social, economic and political development of the nation Create awareness of the development process of the nation and draw lessons from the nation's history to enhance future development Become the premier resource centre for the policies, strategies and initiatives adopted under Malaysia's various Prime Ministers which may be used and adapted by other developing nations The Foundation also has a broader objective i.e. to promote global understanding by providing a channel for scholars and thinkers to undertake research and idea-sharing for lasting, peaceful resolutions

Book preview

Political Stability and Sustainability as Key Success Factors in Developing Malaysia

Perdana Discourse

Series

4

Perdana Leadership Foundation

Universiti Teknologi MARA

Perdana Leadership Foundation

This electronic edition is published by Perdana Leadership Foundation, No 1, Jalan P8H, Precinct 8, 62250 Putrajaya, Malaysia

www.perdana.org.my

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©2017 Perdana Leadership Foundation (PLF) & Institute of Knowledge

Advancement

(

InKA

)

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Print

edition

2006

Electronic

edition

2017

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from Perdana Leadership Foundation (PLF) and Universiti Teknologi MARA. The views expressed in this book are entirely that of the speakers.

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Editors: Masturah Alias, Sharifah Shahnaz Syed Husain, Juridah Atin, Zarina Abu Bakar

Transcribers: Shahriza Fadly Misaridin, Maswira Mahyiddin, Mariatul

Qibtiah

Isa

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Perdana Discourse Series: Political Stability & Sustainability as Key Success Factors in Developing Malaysia

Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

Books in the Series

Prologue

1. POLITICAL STABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY AS KEY SUCCESS FACTORS IN DEVELOPING MALAYSIA

2. PANEL DISCUSSANTS' POINTS OF VIEW

3. PARTICIPANTS’ POINTS OF VIEW

Epilogue

Appendix 1

Appendix II

Appendix III

About Perdana Leadership Foundation

Forthcoming: Perdana Discourse Series 5

Preface

Political Stability & Sustainability was the theme for the fourth Perdana Discourse Series. The discourse was an interactive platform where participants had the opportunity to share and discuss issues relating to policies, strategies, and possible models and achievements accomplished during the tenure of Malaysia's previous Prime Ministers. Participants comprised university students, academicians, senior civil servants and members of various youth associations.

The discourse started with a keynote address by Tun Dr Mahathir sharing his thoughts and ideas on the topic. This was preceded by a moderated discussion session chaired by UiTM's Assistant Vice Chancellor, Associate Prof. Dr Mustaffa Mohamed Zain. The discussants were Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik (former Transport Minister of Malaysia and former President of the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA)), Professor Dr Hajjah Faridah Hj. Hassan (Director of Centre for Business Excellence and former Dean of Faculty of Business Management, UiTM), Ismalina Ismail (EXCO member of Puteri UMNO) and Logandran Balavijendran (student representative. Multimedia University). Each presenter took the opportunity to reiterate, list and illustrate several key decisions, and the contributions of the past four leaders on Political Stability and Sustainability of the country.

More than forty participants took part in the group discussion session to further deliberate on the issue and to reaffirm points on the three aspects discussed: the past, the present, and the future of political stability and sustainability of the country. Students from various tertiary institutions played key roles during the sessions. They took up the roles as facilitators, scribers, and presenters. The outcome of the group discussion session was presented as a closing remark for the discourse.

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the Board of Trustees of Perdana Leadership Foundation and the Vice Chancellor of UiTM, Dato' Seri Professor Dr Ibrahim Abu Shah for their continued support and confidence for this Discourse Series. We are very honoured to have Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who shared his ideas and opinions with clarity and intelligence on the topic of Political Stability.

We are also very grateful to have with us eminent speakers, each distinguished in his or her own field, such as Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik, Professor Dr Hajjah Faridah Hj. Hassan, Ms. Ismalina Ismail and Mr. Logarandran Balavijendran, who have further contributed to our knowledge on the topic. Our gratitude goes to Associate Professor Dr Mustaffa Mohamed Zain, the Assistant Vice Chancellor, who is the new person