Raja Nazrin's Wisdom unfold

Raja Nazrin unfold his wisdom again at the National Economic Outlook Conference 2008/2009 organized by Malaysian Institute of Economic Research.

But the reportings of his speech draws different ideological approach and emphasis. TheStar headline reads: "Nazrin: Nurture Human Capital". NST prefers: "Hi-tech's the way to go"

The content between the two reports also draws different emphasis. The NST highlight is more on high-tech. At the first para, NST wrote: "Malaysia needs to take a big step up the technology ladder by moving into high-technology and knowledge-intensive industries. Raja Muda of Perak Raja Dr Nazrin Shah said this was the only way to remain internationally competitive."

"Policies that have served us well in the past are unlikely to work in the future," he said.

"Malaysia's past growth was driven mainly by large increase in the use of labour and capital inputs, but future growth will have to come from productivity gains and technological breakthroughs. This in turn, requires the country to vastly improve its human capital base by investing heavily in training and education, and promoting research and development."

"Raja Nazrin said physical, human and social capital constitute the three prerequisites of development. At the end of the day, the difference between a fully functional state and a dysfunctional one may lie in nothing more than the quantity and quality of its social capital."

"I believe that shaping the right socio-economic environment is a very important task and this does not lie entirely, or perhaps even mainly, in the economic domain," he said.

Let's read what TheStar emphasized:

"Countries, including Malaysia, must change with the aspirations of their citizens or risk losing their best and brightest, said Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah. There are countries today whose citizens are highly educated and whose scientists and engineers are at the leading edge in their fields but who want nothing more than to leave their countries. “It is time that we reunite these disparate parts into our development story,”..."

Do you see their ideological perspective? NST's thinks Raja Nazrin's emphasis is on High-tech and competitiveness, while TheStar's grasp the issue of human capital and brain drain.

Let's go further into TheStar's ideological perspective:

"Nazrin said many “middle-income countries” focused on human capital development, entrepreneurship, and scientific and technological innovations but these could not stand alone without the social norms and values. Human capital development without the right environment is futility in itself,” he said."

I tried to expound similar perspective at the NST but they don't seem to espoused the same ideological output. This para does express wanton of insights about the fundamentals of political and social ideologies that shapes the economic landscape of each nation. As Nazrin warned: "Human Capital Development without the Right Environment is Futility in itself". HCD, Entrepreneurship, Science & Technology, and Innovation, could not stand alone without social norms and values. Two simple lines to express the wholesome truth.

Could we learnt from this wisdom? Could we grasp the ideological and philosophical epiphany? Are we illuminated by Nazrin's thoughts and wisdom?

Let's contrast another man's wisdom and ideology. "Don't Butt in, says Nazri", reports TheStar at page N10. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, who rebuked Karunanidhi for interfering, said what happened here had “nothing to do with Tamil Nadu.”

”Do not meddle in our affairs. This is Malaysia, not Tamil Nadu ... lay off,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby yesterday.

“It’s a mistake to make an apology to them. It’s not the Indian community that’s involved. Don’t be samseng (gangster),” he said, adding that the issue was discussed at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting.

Nazri seems to be living in a one-man island. Human are social beings and the Indians in India are definitely concerned about their fellow brethren. Even Malaysian government had tried to meddle with the affairs in Myanmar when the govt sent Tan Sri Razali to mediate between the Junta and Aung San Syu Kii. Khairy and UMNO Youth had demonstrated at the American Embassy on issues between Israel and Palestine, and the Americans' involvement on the Middle-east peace process. Aren't UMNO and Malaysia meddling in others' affairs? So, what is the issue of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi's call to his Indian Manmohan Singh over the plight of Tamils in Malaysian. He had expressed deep pain at the way the police has treated them.

Cakap Tak Boleh Serupa Bikin. The Phrase: "Do what I tell You to Do, Not What I Do." Nazri seems to espouse two different system and ideology which are to be applied in differing circumstances. There is one set of rules for the Oligarchy and another for the proletariat. Similarly, there is one set for UMNO and another for their coalition partners. There's also one set for BN and another for the opposition. Equally, there's one set for UMNO Malays and another for the other Malays. So, George Orwell was right on, "All men are equal, but some are more equal".

Where are we going? Utopia or Ethiopia?