Malaysia in 2014: Moving forward or backward?
Everyone is eager now. The fact that we are just 6 years away from the much anticipated year of 2020. A lot has changed since 1991 when Tun Dr Mahathir laid out the blueprint. Putrajaya, KLIA, Proton just to name some.
Vision 2020 however, did come with a price. To become an industrialised nation, Malaysia largely depends on the hands of foreign countries. So we must package ourselves concur to their taste. Unfortunately, this contradicted with our practices.
Back then, we do not have big companies to inject investments. Hence the tax, policy and even the law of our country must be designed to be appeal to FDI’s interests. Have a look at MSC’s Bill of Guarantees for instance. It simply ensures no restriction of internet browsing, resulting pornographic videos be at the fingertips of our 10 year old boy. I agree we should give room for freedom of press, but it would be better if the government would have and utilize its power to censor some of the web that are clearly useful to nobody. If this happens, we might see declining rate of rape, sexual harassment, child abuse, and lots more.
The target of V2020 is to become a high income nation with GDP of RM 920 billion (in 1991’s value) for the year 2020. Looking at the nation’s current annual income, the third largest portion would be from the tourism sector. Since Malaysia is located at the heart of ASEAN countries, foreign attraction is up high. We must work really hard to capture the market’s demands. Sadly desperation to generate more capital made the ministry came out with an idea of building many night clubs, a heavy bomb on society’s fracturing morale. Too bad the chain doesn’t stop there as prostitution, liquor, and mobs comes along. Not to mention the effects it tolled on our youth as well.
These two are just the tip of the iceberg.
The problem for fast-developing countries like Malaysia is to progress towards a modern, scientific and wealthy country without sacrificing its identity. I’m not referring to Kuda Kepang nor Zapin of course, but as an Islamic state. This, I think Dr Mahathir and his predecessors had overlooked.
Islamic State is not just about building mosques and legislates hijab. It also means to encompass education, mass media, law, social structure, and economy. Even more important than that is the government acknowledges the purpose of establishing such state, which is to protect the Deen and to promote it nation and woldwide.
Very much to our relief, Tun Abdullah Badawi did realise part of this problem and came out with Islam Hadhari. The concept was good, but the ongoing power struggle inside UMNO and staggering PRU-12 results made DS Najib took control and swapped it with 1Malaysia instead.
Now in year 2014, we are still aiming for the industrialised Malaysia 2020 with no ( or minimum ) actions to prevent the negative consequences. We are much likely to become the New Japan or America, as we are importing their technologies as well as their cultures.
LGBT, liberalism, pluralism, just to name a few. It is just unimaginable the world that our grandchildren are going to live in.
Muhammad Assiddiq Fauzan
ISMA Activist
Assiddiq is currently studying at Al-Azhar University, Cairo in the Faculty of Theology.