Why is Malaysia lagging so far behind, moans MP

Pasir Salak MP Tajuddin Abdul Rahman lashed out at the lack of innovation in Malaysia.

KUALA LUMPUR: A cry of frustration with Malaysia’s sluggish growth and the lack of scientific and technological innovation was raised in the Dewan Rakyat today by a Barisan Nasional MP.

Tajuddin Abdul Rahman bemoaned the fact that Malaysia continued to lag behind advanced countries “by over 50 years” and said: “When are we going to be on par with developed countries if we are still way behind in science and innovation?”

“We achieved independence 60 years ago, but what is our innovation and creation, there is nothing,” said Tajuddin, who is MP for Pasir Salak, during the debate on a supply bill.

He urged national leaders to study the industrial revolution that took place in developed countries which had paved the way towards those countries’ progress.

For how much longer should Malaysia continue to depend on palm oil and fisheries for revenue, he said..

Tajuddin said he was speaking up to “fight for the country to move towards innovation”, pointing out that scientists elsewhere were able to create sophisticated weapons, but Malaysia was still unable to create machines to harvest oil palm fruit.

The lack of technology was causing Malaysia to depend on millions of foreign workers, leading to the loss of millions of ringgit in foreign exchange outflows.

Malaysia had yet to produce a car of its own, despite having agreements with Japan about the transfer of technology.

“There has been too much rhetoric after rhetoric on technology transfer and innovation, for instance in Proton. We have been depending on Japan, Korea and now China,” he said.

He said Japan learned basic skills from Europe and US and moved on to successfully creating their own cars as they were committed to innovation. Malaysia should similarly make a serious effort, he said. - FMT