12MP an expression of policy continuity?

 

The 11th Malaysia Plan (11MP) was a forward-looking document; it had all the right things that one would expect of a progressive document.

Some of the issues that could be expected of a progressive document centred on immediate
concerns such as the rising cost of living. The concerns of the disadvantaged were given attention.

There were policies on the supply of rural water and electricity.

11MP took a serious view of the quality of healthcare and affordable housing. There is no doubt that the needs of the average citizen were prioritised. Basic needs received the urgent attention they deserved. After all, these were problems that were frequently raised during that period.

It would be untenable to avoid questions of inter-ethnic well-being. There are bound to be
comparisons of this sort.

In a multi-ethnic society, there are bound to be competing views of how needs should be addressed and the underlying philosophy of economic justice. A more disaggregated view was taken as far as segments of the population were concerned and, as has been customary, imbalances were addressed in a more targeted manner.

The 11MP responded by emphasising Bumiputera economic empowerment. There was nothing novel or distinguishing about the 11MP’s proposals on this matter.

More interesting, however, was the interest in technical and vocational education and training. This was then relevant and no less so now.

The idea of a skills development fund that was floated in the document was an innovative one. The apprenticeship scheme that was proposed was relevant, in fact, most suitable, since it dealt with imparting on-the-job skills that would prepare students to hit the road running on the very first day of employment.

The most striking aspect of the 11th Plan document was that on green growth. It was meant to place Malaysia ahead of the curve; it was an early bird that spotted the importance of the green economy and all that goes with it much earlier on.

Infrastructure was mentioned in the 11MP. For the most part, it would have not done much to ignite any keenness on the part of the casual reader, but for the fact that the development of cities received special attention.

The development of expressways and high-speed rails may have been necessary; the financial feasibility analysis of these infrastructure projects was a different matter, though not covered in the document as is typical of plan documents.

In terms of themes, the 11th Malaysia Plan was relevant, sensitive to the needs of the rakyat and anticipative of the future in many ways.

The 12MP seems to have plucked its feathers from the 11MP. Some of the themes in the 12MP continue from those of its preceding plan, since the 11MP is, in some respects, a path setter, and difficult to beat.

Inclusivity, which echoes a highly desired goal in the New Economic Model, though under the rubric of 1Malaysia, takes a place of prominence in the 12MP. Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob gives a different expression to 1Malaysia when he speaks of the notion of a “family” with reference to the country.

Regardless of the resemblance in goals and direction, we do not seem to have departed too distantly from those expressed in an earlier time.

But that should not worry us; innovative thinking can sometimes be hard to improve upon. Then again, policy continuity is always desirable because change for its own sake is not necessarily useful. - FMT

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.