From isolation to innovation - an agenda for 2023

 

One can be forgiven for overlooking the need to recap the year behind us. 

The year 2022 was characterised – domestically and on the global stage – as lurching from one dumpster fire to another: from the war in Ukraine and the ensuing energy crisis to economic recession, food inflation, collapsing asset prices, liquidity squeezes and the stubbornly lingering effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Every cloud has its silver lining. However, the hotly fought contests late in the year in politics, markets (and football) have each brought in the spotlight of change, which, if taken at its helm, holds great promise. 

So, rather than doom and gloom, this year-end ode carries a hopeful message for an Innovation Nation in the making.

In Putrajaya, a newly elected administration is settling in, with a renewed focus on international (or, at very least, regional) engagement. In stark contrast to the inward-looking inclination of successive predecessor governments, the attitude of Anwar Ibrahim’s government has changed decisively from ‘isolation’ to ‘innovation’. 

This transition, critically needed at this moment in the history of our nation’s development, must be empowered with optimism and open-mindedness, both notably missing in the Malaysian narrative for years, since the Asian financial crisis when Anwar’s last attempt for ‘Reformasi’ was thwarted.

In the Asian Tiger growth era, Southeast Asian countries rapidly transformed into growth-fuelled developing economies, accompanied by corresponding upheavals in infrastructure, education, commerce, and profession, all of which saw Malaysia keeping pace with the technical innovations of the day. 

Despite many challenges brought on by this amazing growth spurt, the resulting leap forward in progress was a great source of national pride, ushering in vast improvements in living standards and quality of life. 

Since then, a Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) - anchored in digital transformation - has been gathering momentum, accelerated and catalysed by the global pandemic from which we’re still emerging; a digital migration from which it should be apparent there is no turning back.

This sets the stage for the next milestone shift, based on an Innovation Agenda, that recognises pain points across government, society and the economy and proposes digital solutions to resolve them within Malaysia, as well as for Malaysia to serve as a springboard for offering these solutions into neighbouring marketplaces in Asean and South Asia.

The seven core components of the prime minister’s Innovation Agenda are, in equal measure, aimed at the institutional, social and economic challenges that demand the government’s most immediate attention:

1. Unity and Tolerance: Adoption of the country’s common goals above those of community, cast and creed.

2. Transparency and Good Governance: Policy and structural reforms that reclaim the credibility of institutions serving the good of the people.

3. Curbing Spiralling Costs: Implementing efficiencies, particularly for baseline inflation such as staple food items, including rice, grains and produce.

4. Food Security: Addressing systemic weaknesses in reliance on food imports and low output from domestic agriculture, livestock and fishing.

5. Digital Marketplaces: Curation of leading-edge technologies into local knowledge hubs that cater to domestic needs and function as a platform for regional expansion.

6. Cleantech Revolution: Carbon emissions management, electric vehicles, drones, robotics, and sustainable clean energy — industries of the future in which we must claim pole position. 

7. High-quality Foreign Direct Investment: A polar shift from Malaysia being a provider of outbound capital into a magnet for inbound investment to fuel the 4IR transition.

Previously, I have taken Malaysia 5.0 as a new narrative for the nation, which engenders a participatory culture in which social benefits belong to the people and serves the commonwealth of a nation.

Malaysia 5.0 vision is working towards the creation of a society deeply integrated with technology, governed by inclusive and equitable ‘eco-vironmental’ principles and practices. 

It has three main components: firstly, instilling a new core identity philosophy that transcends individual and societal dividends and upholds the value of shared prosperity. Secondly, adopt, value-add and produce digital transformation and 4IR technologies centred on solving eco-environmental problems. And thirdly, produce well-rounded citizens who are well-positioned and empowered to face, navigate and thrive 4IR.

The goals of Malaysia 5.0 includes encouraging growth and progress for all; deep integration of 4IR technologies at every level of society: individual, industry, government and environment; and transforming and reforming the national education system to reflect ground realities (4IR) from primary school to university.

Implemented properly, it is an antidote to identity politics. Democracy is by definition a representative process - but in the Neo-Liberal capitalistic model, it represents the elite rather than the rakyat.

By putting the democratic process back into the hands of the people (through the decentralised power of 4IR technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain and FinTech) we can enhance society’s participation in the political process beyond communal, racial and religious groups.

In the end, the message is as simple as it is concise: an Innovation Nation is an idea — one of embracing innovative change to fix what is broken for whom it is meant to serve, namely the people of the nation. 

The clean slate of a New Year is surely as good a bookmark as any to put this new agenda into action.

Happy New Year! - Mkini

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RAIS HUSSIN is the president and chief executive officer of EMIR Research, a think tank focused on strategic policy recommendations based on rigorous research.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.