Najib warned: Beware of Jokowi effect

If Malaysia refuses to open up and become a true meritocracy, neighbouring countries might steal away investments and industries.

KUALA LUMPUR: Everyone, it seems, is charmed by Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, who was sworn in this week as President of Indonesia.

The near euphoria with which the international press has greeted the rise of this “man of the people” is reminiscent of Barack Obama’s election to the US Presidency in 2008. Despite it’s being too early to tell, he has been hailed as the new face for Indonesian democracy and the answer to his countrymen’s hunger for reform.

This week, at least two press articles have drawn a contrast between Jokowi and Malaysia’s own Najib Abdul Razak, to the Malaysian Prime Minister’s detriment.

The Sydney Morning Herald, in an article appearing on Tuesday, said Malaysia was regressing towards authoritarianism while Indonesia appeared to be strengthening its democracy.

In his column today, Bloomberg’s William Pesek warns Najib that he has to watch out for the “Jokowi effect” that might spread to Indonesia’s neighbours.

“Even as hopes rise that Indonesia might finally achieve its true growth potential, Malaysia seems consumed by petty political infighting and religious small-mindedness,” he said.

Citing the alleged persecution of Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, Umno’s opposition to the Octoberfest celebration and the controversy over the recent touch-a-dog event, Pesek said Malaysia should not let itself get “bogged down in such side issues”.

He said Najib had expanded Barisan Nasional’s pro-bumiputera programme instead of scaling it back to increase Malaysia’s competitiveness.

“Malaysian leaders should be striving to improve the investment climate through stronger corporate governance, and expanding education and training to raise productivity,” he said.

“Subsidies for state-connected companies need to be scaled back and eventually eliminated.”

He added: “Malaysians should remember that globalization enables all economies to grow quickly. If their country refuses to open up and become a true meritocracy — the kind of place where a figure like Jokowi could come to power through the ballot box — neighbours like Indonesia and the Philippines will steal away investment and industries.

“Then the problems they’re focusing on today won’t seem so large.”