Being in Mahathir's Malaysia

Standing before the majestic splendour and grandeur of Cairo, Ibn Khaldun, the famous 14th century Tunisian historian-sociologist, on his first visit to the city, was struck with awe, wonder and amazement. Later, he recorded in his Autobiography: "What one can imagine always surpasses what one sees because of the scope of the imagination - except Cairo, because it surpasses anything one can imagine !"

These words reflected, almost accurately, our feelings (a group of six family members), when we landed recently at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, on what was essentially, a week-long holiday trip. The airport itself is a marvel of modern architectural design and engineering, blending harmoniously with state-of-the-art facilities in order to provide the traveller / visitor with an ambience of ease and comfort, and a hassle-free check-out. (I am told that KLIA has a capacity to service 25 million passengers a year, and over a million tons of cargo. By the year 2008, it is expected to handle 35 million passengers).

From the arrival lounge we boarded an ultra-modern, sleek looking electric train to the immigration section, where the necessary formalities were carried out quickly and efficiently. The baggage collection and check was equally fast and efficient, and within minutes we were in the outer hall of the airport.

Kuala Lumpur was another big surprise for all of us. With its broad, tree-lined avenues, smart streets, elegant boutiques and coffee shops, luxurious departmental stores and shopping malls, impressive high-rise buildings, aesthetically designed, and well laid out and well maintained parks and fountains, interspersed with artificial lakes and ponds, the city exudes a warm, tropical air of a friendly metropolis located, as it were, in a huge garden.

Dominating the city sky-line are the magnificent 88-storey high Petronas Twin Towers, which, until recently, were the tallest building in the world. The Twin Towers, serve not only as a source of pride and confidence to the Malaysians, but are also a symbol of the new Malaysia, which in recent years has notched up spectacular gains in economic development and social sector improvement.

The individual chiefly responsible for transforming Malaysia from "an economic backwater to an Asian success story" is no other than Dr Mahathir Mohammad, who assumed the office of his country's fourth prime minister in 1981, and served in that capacity till October 2003 - a record period of 22 years. By all accounts Dr Mahathir is an extraordinary person. He obtained his degree in Medicine in 1952.

After dabbling in various business ventures for a few years, he set up his own medical practice (along with his wife, Siti Hasmah Mohammad Ali, his course mate at the medical college) in 1957 in his home town, Alor Star. After a few years of practice he decided to give it up for a career in politics, which had been his ruling passion since his university days. He joined the leading political party, the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) , and soon attracted the attention of the then prime minister, Tenku Abdul Rahman.

In 1964 he contested his first parliamentary election defeating his opponent by a huge margin. Since then his political career saw quite a few ups and downs, including his expulsion from the UMNO in 1969, and his subsequent, reinstatement in 1972 by Tun Abdul Razak, the second prime minister of Malaysia. After this his rise in the party hierarchy was quite spectacular. In June 1981 he was confirmed as UMNO's fifth president, and also assumed the office of prime minister.

Malaysia's "economic miracle" is associated with Dr Mahathir, and quite rightly so. However, we must remember that at the time of independence in 1957, the country's economy was based, almost entirely, on the mining of tin and the plantation and manufacture of rubber. The large trading houses, banks and insurance companies were, almost exclusively, under foreign ownership and control.

Though the economy improved somewhat, during the first two decades after independence, it was only under Dr Mahathir's stewardship that it really took off at a phenomenal pace.

By developing pragmatic programmes, premised on high-growth strategy, Dr Mahathir pursued market-oriented policies which stressed that economic growth should be accompanied by improvements in the distribution of incomes.

He expanded the role of the private sector, with the public sector providing active support. He promised attractive incentives and a liberal economic environment, against the back-drop of a stable socio-political milieu, to attract foreign capital. Foreign direct investment (FDI) has played an important role in the economic development of Malaysia. More than 3,000 international companies from over 40 countries are operating in the country.

Pragmatism, hard work and the drive to get things done efficiently and on time, which have been characteristic traits of Dr Mahathir, have paid rich dividends. He transformed Malaysia from a sleepy rubber and tin producer into an Asian "tiger", entrenched in manufacturing and heavy industries following his industrialization push. During the last decade the Malaysian economy achieved growth rates of about seven per cent annually. The GDP doubled to reach US$ 57.7 billion.

Exports and imports quadrupled to reach $ 92.0 billion and $ 78.6 billion, respectively, placing Malaysia among the world's top 20 trading nations. From being a producer of rubber and tin only, Malaysia today exports manufactured goods like electronics, electrical machinery, chemical and plastic products, steel and metal products, textiles, apparel and footwear, petroleum products, crude oil and LNG, and palm oil and rubber.

In recent years the country has also emerged as one of the world's leading exporters of semiconductor devices, computer hard disc drives, audio and video products and air-conditioners. The manufacturing sector now accounts for 30.4 per cent of Malay's GDP, while export of manufactured goods make up 86.5 per cent of the total exports.

Malaysia's population of 24 million (59 per cent Malay; 32 per cent Chinese; nine per cent Indian) is generally well off. The per capita income stands at $ 3,516.00, and the literacy rate at over 80 per cent is one of the highest in the region. With the exception of racial riots in the late 1960s, when the Malay and the Indians gave vent to their anger against the more prosperous Chinese, who then controlled a major segment of trade and commerce, the country has been remarkably free of ethnic tensions.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that modern Malaysia is a product of Dr Mahathir's genius. Once during an interview, he was asked if he was a thinker or a tinker, Dr Mahathir replied that he was both. But more than a thinker and a tinker, he is, above all, a visionary.

His Vision 2020 for Malaysia is a bold and an imaginative programme which, in his own words, "sets the long-term focus and direction for Malaysia to achieve the status of an industrialized and fully developed nation by the year 2020. The Vision is a reflection of the strong commitment to raise the quality of life and standard of living of the population to that enjoyed by the developed nations." The aim is to achieve higher productivity through technology and high value-added economic activities.

At the centre of the Vision 2020 is the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC), a designated zone between KL International Airport and KL city centre where the two "intelligent cities" of Putrajaya and Cyberjaya are to be located. Construction work on both the projects is in full swing. Putrajaya, the new administrative capital, has already started functioning.

It is a beautiful modern city, well planned and well laid out, with aesthetically pleasing architecture and state-of-the-art facilities. Cyberjaya, the hi-tec "intelligent city", when completed, is expected to support a population of 240,000. It will be equipped with advanced IT and telecommunication infrastructure to meet the business, residential and recreational needs of the residents.

We left Malaysia with a heavy heart. Though one week is too short a stay, we were, nevertheless, impressed with what we saw. The spectacular images of the country and the friendly, smiling faces we encountered everywhere keep flickering on the memory screen - but there are, in the background, some profoundly disturbing questions which we in Pakistan must ask ourselves : Why have we not been able to emulate the example of Malaysia?

Why have we not been able to produce a leader like Mahathir Mohammad? Why have we not been able to eliminate sectarianism, ethnic strife and terrorism? Why have we not been able to root out the evil of corruption? Why have we not been able to weld ourselves into a single and a united nation by eliminating provincialism? What became of the Quaid's motto of Unity, Faith and Discipline which he gave to the nation? When will we free ourselves of the clutches of the IMF? When will we be able to stand on our own feet? Does anyone have the answers?

Sale of adulterated petrol

The sale of adulterated and substandard petrol and diesel at filling stations is continuing apace. There are also complaints of short-measuring. Consumers attribute the business of adulterated petrol to lack of a proper checking and inspection system.

After the winding up of the magistracy system in the Punjab, the district governments are not in a position to launch a vigorous campaign for the checking of filling stations. Earlier, the powers to conduct raids on petrol pumps were delegated to officials of labour and revenue departments. But they have failed to come up to the expectations of the people. As a result, petrol pump owners are indulging in the illegal practice of selling adulterated petrol and short-measuring.

When the prices of petroleum products are being fortnightly reviewed by the government, both the district government and the provincial government should devise ways of checking the petrol quality and short-measuring so that the people could get some relief. Some government agencies seem to be directly involved in this nefarious business. Without their connivance the petrol pump owners cannot indulge in short-measuring. Motorists and scooter-riders are helpless in the matter as they cannot compel the petrol-pump salesmen to check whether the petrol is adulterated or short-measured. Government agencies, therefore, should come to the help of consumers in this regard.

It is now over a year since the runway of Bahawalpur airport was rebuilt for the operation of Boeing flights with the financial assistance of the ruler of Dubai. In addition, lights were installed to facilitate night landing. But despite the passage of one year, PIA has not yet decided to start Boeing flights from here. Industrialists, ginners and other business community members have several times sent representations to the PIA management for the conversion of the present Fokker flights into a Boeing service.

There was a report the other day that PIA was likely to introduce Boeing flights some time in March. The trading community has demanded that PIA should announce a schedule for a Boeing service from Bahawalpur. It will help boost industrial and commercial activities in this area beset by problems like unemployment and poverty.

In remote Fort Abbas, the government established a commerce college in a rented building in 1986. It is still functioning in the same building. The facility cannot cope with the increasing number of students. Furniture is short, and there are only 14 old typewriters for 150 students.

In the present age, the commerce college does not need typewriters but at least 20 computer sets for the training of students in computer technology. According to data, the government had provided furniture for only 50 students in 1986. Afterward, no grant was provided for the purchase of furniture.

It is ironical that while computer education in the college is compulsory, the government has failed to provide computers to the institution. Two computer sets were donated by a donor while 10 were purchased by the college from miscellaneous funds. The college has a library, but without the required books. There are a total of 850 books which mainly relate to an outdated syllabus.

The college also lacks a playground due to which the students are unable to take part in extra-curricular activities. A piece of land should be acquired for the construction of a new college building with all sports facilities for the students.

A poetry collection launched

KARACHI: 'Jalti hawa ka geet' - a poetry collection of a young poet Dr Sarwat Zehra- was launched by the Academy Adbiat-i-Pakistan on Tuesday. Dr Mohammad Ali Siddiqui presided over the function while the speakers included Prof Saher Ansari, Shaheda Hasan, Asif Farrukhi, Shahnaaz Shoro and Khalid Moeen.

Sarwat Zehra, a medical doctor who returned to her birth place Karachi "among her own people" from Islamabad after more than a decade, had earlier presented her poetry collection in Islamabad. She spoke with a zest about her experience as a poet and praised all those who encouraged her to learn and do better in her poetic pursuit, particularly her life partner Peer Mohammad Kailash, a Sindhi language intellectual.

Dr Mohammad Ali Siddiqui admired Dr Zehra for her imaginative verses based on almost original social topics and giving words fresh meaning. She had the talent to turn the abstract into living figures and also courage to speak out her mind in plain words.

Dr Siddiqui recalled the past when Dr Zehra was a medical student in the city known in the literary circles as a rising talented poet and a rising star at different social forums. But, she could deliver her radical and anti-establishment poetry only in the sittings of the Progressive Writers, among small number of listeners. Now, he was happy to note that an official body like the Academy Adbiat had launched her book at a large gathering, Dr Siddiqui observed.

He said the world after 9/11 had changed a lot and one could see the real face of the West, master of a globalized economy, showing no mercy towards the third world countries, particularly the Muslim countries. In that particular scenario, he felt that the ruling elite in Pakistan like other countries had begun to look towards their own people. He said the high and mighty in our country and their hanger on in the intellectual field were no more averse to the 'ideology', the social themes and the cause of the common people. In that context, he added, the poetry from Dr Zehra had gained a new appraisal, whose love for the people in the country and elsewhere was admirable.

Prof Saher Ansari, who had come to know Dr Zehra since long, also admired her for originality in her selection of themes and the poetic treatment, she masterly gave to them. She was a "burning soul" from within and that was why she was different for other poets, he said.

Prof Shaheda Hasan thought that Dr Zehra was conscious of her society as well as the problems faced by women more than their counterparts and therefore expressed her feelings better than others. Prof Shahnaz Shore, Asif Farrukhi and Khalid Moeen in their papers evaluated the aesthetic qualities of Zehra's poetry.

Kazim Abbas Zaidi, the proud father of the poet, also spoke and thanked her admirers. Aniq Ahmad did the compering. Agha Noor Mohammad Pathan welcomed the guests and at the end thanked them.