Mustapa Mohamed
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department for
Economic Affairs,
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department for
Economic Affairs,
Prime Minister's Department of Malaysia
In 1991 the Indian economy was near death. At that point, Indian politicians understood that they needed a technocrat to manage the country, free of their interference. That man was Dr Manmohan Singh, who then became Prime Minister in 2004, and remained in the job until 2014.
Dr Manmohan was not only without the uusal political resume, he was also not Hindu. India's prime ministers since the days of Nehru had until then always been of the Hindu. That exception not only saved the Indian economy, but then set India on its path to the economic success it enjoys today.
Malaysia today is well and truly on the path to economic ruin. The economy is run not very differently from that of Nigeria, only without that country's oil wealth. Nevertheless, politics (or colloquially "permainan politik takes precedence over all else. The present political preoccupation is with regards the prime ministership, the choices being between a 96 year old, a failed finance minister who would rather quote Shakespeare and an assortment of persons who have been found guilty if not remain charged with financial crimes.
Meanwhile, for apparently political reasons the Member for Jeli and the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department for Economic Affairs,Mustapha Mohamad, is not even thought of as being worthy of consideration for the position of Minister for Finance, despite his obvious talents(see resume below).
In 1991 the Indian economy was near death. At that point, Indian politicians understood that they needed a technocrat to manage the country, free of their interference. That man was Dr Manmohan Singh, who then became Prime Minister in 2004, and remained in the job until 2014.
Dr Manmohan was not only without the uusal political resume, he was also not Hindu. India's prime ministers since the days of Nehru had until then always been of the Hindu. That exception not only saved the Indian economy, but then set India on its path to the economic success it enjoys today.
Malaysia today is well and truly on the path to economic ruin. The economy is run not very differently from that of Nigeria, only without that country's oil wealth. Nevertheless, politics (or colloquially "permainan politik takes precedence over all else. The present political preoccupation is with regards the prime ministership, the choices being between a 96 year old, a failed finance minister who would rather quote Shakespeare and an assortment of persons who have been found guilty if not remain charged with financial crimes.
Meanwhile, for apparently political reasons the Member for Jeli and the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department for Economic Affairs,Mustapha Mohamad, is not even thought of as being worthy of consideration for the position of Minister for Finance, despite his obvious talents(see resume below).
Regardless, Malaysia is at that stage where, if nothing else, for the sake of its affirmative action policies which are considered sacrosanct, politics must take second place to the economy. Consequently, like India in 1991, a technocrat, in this case Mustapha Mohamad, needs to be put in charge of the economy and allowed to repair matters without interference. Malaysian politics is such that only the prime minister can have the power to do so. For that reason Mustapha Mohamad needs to be appointed prime minister.
What comes after is irrelevant given the desperate state of the economy. Additionally, Malaysia might undergo a transformation so great that politics will be forever changed.
TOE BE READ WITH
Degree (Hons) in Economics, University of Melbourne, Australia; Master's in Economic Development, Boston University, USA.
1987-95, Political Secretary to the Minister of Finance;
1991, Senator.
1991-94, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Finance;
1994-95, Deputy Minister of Finance; since 1995, Member of Parliament, representing Jeli, Kelantan;
1995-99, Minister of Entrepreneur Development;
1998-99, Finance Minister II;
2000-01, Adviser to the Ministry of Finance;
2001-04, Executive Director, National Economic Action Council;
2004-06, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department;
2006-08, Minister of Higher Education;
2008-09, Minister of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry.
Since April 2009, Minister of International Trade and Industry of Malaysia. Author of several books on Malaysian economic policies and politics.
Recipient: Honorary Doctor of Commerce, University of Melbourne, Australia (1997); Honorary Degree of Law, University of Nottingham, United Kingdom (2005); Honorary Fellow, National Institute of Public Administration (INTAN) (1997).
No comments:
Post a Comment