Najib's grand transformation plans hit the skids

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has insisted to continue his transformation plans after the general election. However, lingering racism and racial politics have made progress difficult for the National Transformation Plan.

National transformation requires talents, foreign investment and technology. However, racial clamour has turned down these conditions, making Najib's efforts less effective.

There are respective plans to retain talents in the public and private spheres. To retain talents in the public sector, college or university students and graduates are encouraged to participate in various governmental departments' internship programmes to attract more freshmen into the government.

As for the private sector, the CIMB Group and six other enterprises have jointly introduced a personnel training programme to attract more talented employees.

The recently held two-day Invest Malaysia Conference has also continued the government's strategy to attract foreign investment. And this time, Najib announced that Malaysia will introduce the Multiple Entry Visa for up to five years to qualified foreign business investors and fund managers to visit the country.

Then he shoots himself in the foot by mixing politics with business

However, a more harmonious, open, free and democratic environment must be created to retain talents and investment funds. With too much politics, particularly racial politics, racism and privileges, it would be difficult to success even with the best investment incentive.

Unfortunately, although Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa has warned civil servants who are overzealous in participating in political activities, indicating that they should accept the election result and get back to work to assist the government in implementing various transformation plans, some with motives are still trying to stir up racial issues in the run-up to Umno's party election.

Utusan Malaysia asked the question “Apa lagi Cina mahu (What else do the Chinese want?)" on its front page and it was followed by various racial remarks, including a call to boycott Chinese businesses by the Muslim Consumers Association Malaysia (PPIM) and the advocacy of single-stream education.

Malay elites, AirAsia X CEO Azran Osman Rani and CIMB Group CEO Nazir Razak were slammed for not agreeing with the rightists.

Surprisingly, DAP former vice-chairman Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim also said that Chinese schools are the stumbling block impeding national unity.

What has actually made someone from an opposition party who originally advocated fairness and freedom change his values? Is it because the rightists forces are too strong or the conservative thinking is having a strong appeal?

When making the call to boycott Chinese businesses, PPIM executive secretary Nadzim Johan claimed that he was representing 85 Muslim non-governmental organisations nationwide, while the single-stream education advocacy was stated in a joint statement of 120 Muslim NGOS.

If there are really so many NGOs, it showed that the conservatives have combined their forces. Would it be a prelude to Umno's party election? And would the party's general assembly scheduled in the end of this year change the government's pace towards openness?

The conservatives have made voices. It is expected that the UEC recognition issue would not be mentioned in their daily routine agenda for some time, and Chinese education groups would have to face greater pressure.

To compete with foreign countries, Malaysia should focus on enhancing competitiveness while reducing zero-sum political games and avoiding racial controversy. Otherwise, the country would not be able to retain talents and foreign investors would have to worry about sudden changes in policies.

Najib encountered obstacles too when he introduced his transformation plans after taking over the office in April 2009. Before the obstacles are eliminated and the party election is held, the transformation plan 2.0 is expected to have a slow pace of progress.

- Sin Chew Daily