tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125475322012-01-22T13:46:00.987-08:00Seeing Malaysia My WayM. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.comBlogger6141100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-29266816920873360482012-01-22T13:45:00.000-08:002012-01-22T13:46:01.000-08:00

Chapter 12: A Prescription For MalaysiaIn 1969, shortly after the traumatic race riot that nearly ripped Malaysia apart, an angry and impatient young politician wrote a most unusual letter to the prime minister at the time, Tunku Abdul Rahman. Written in Malay, the letter used the most polite and deferential language, tone, and form that characterized communications between a peasant and his

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-77516069531208572672012-01-15T18:41:00.000-08:002012-01-15T18:45:05.875-08:00

Chapter11: Embracing Free EnterpriseEncouraging EntrepreneurialismStarting Small The remarkable thing about these initiatives I describe is that individually and in the aggregate, they would cost very little. The default rate for such loans is very low, as demonstrated by the experience of Grameen Bank in Bangladesh. But the most important benefit of such a scheme is that it would encourage

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-20643168323761265162012-01-10T22:04:00.000-08:002012-01-10T22:05:36.868-08:00

Hold The Accolades!M. Bakri MusaNow that Judge Mohamad Zabidin Diah has acquitted Anwar Ibrahim on his “Sodomy II” charge, there is no end of praise heaped upon the judge specifically and the system of justice generally. Prime Minister Najib was quick with his smug assertion that “neither politics nor politicians have any influence over the dispensation of justice.” Foreign governments too have

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-28279543639617661402012-01-01T17:20:00.000-08:002012-01-01T17:21:04.913-08:00

Chapter11: Embracing Free EnterpriseEncouraging EntrepreneurialismNEP’s Failure to Nurture Malay EntrepreneursAs a long distance observer, let me suggest some reasons for NEP’s failure in this endeavor. They all boil down to that basic defect of too much central planning and too rigid top-down command. Instead of trying to create an environment where budding Bumiputra entrepreneurs could thrive

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-9393006352963443002011-12-25T22:46:00.000-08:002011-12-25T22:47:11.037-08:00

Chapter11: Embracing Free EnterpriseEncouraging Entrepreneurialism A decade ago there was not much interest in teaching entrepreneurialism at business schools as the perceived wisdom was that it could not be taught. Today it is a hot elective for young MBAs. Many top line business schools trumpet their entrepreneurial studies program. It is not accidental that most graduates of American

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-45651186642824656012011-12-18T17:35:00.000-08:002011-12-18T17:37:38.636-08:00

Chapter 11: Encouraging EntrepreneurialismThe catalyst that drives, or more accurately the spark that ignites, capitalism is the entrepreneur. She is the individual who sees the opportunity to sell an item or service at a price higher than the cost of making or obtaining it. She sees the need or demand, and then goes about to meeting that need, and in the process makes a profit for herself.

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-47709987359475607322011-12-11T17:12:00.000-08:002011-12-11T17:13:15.101-08:00

Chapter 11: Embracing Free EnterpriseMalaysian CapitalismMoral Arguments For Free TradeDaniel Griswold of the conservative Cato Institute in Washington, DC, argues that free trade is morally right, quite apart from the benefits that accrue upon the participants. Free trade respects individual dignity and sovereignty. When one engages in honest work, one has the basic right to enjoy the fruits

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-73016574388241003582011-12-04T15:34:00.000-08:002011-12-04T15:35:08.207-08:00

Chapter 11: Embracing Free EnterpriseMalaysian CapitalismIn the decade following independence, the Tunku’s administration adopted a laissez-faire attitude towards the economy. He was committed to free enterprise and capitalism, but he wrongly read the Malaysian economy and marketplace. They were neither open nor free. Powerful forces effectively controlled the economy and marketplace. The

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-37410050269547487722011-11-27T17:30:00.000-08:002011-11-27T17:31:21.228-08:00

Chapter 11: Embracing Free EnterpriseFree Enterprise As An Islamic TraditionThere are those who believe that capitalism implies greed, the very antithesis of our core religious value. Nothing can be further from the truth. This misguided notion led many nations to adopt socialism, with its promised egalitarianism. The Koran explicitly encourages free market. It commands the faithful to venture

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-77020959881151136362011-11-20T15:50:00.000-08:002011-11-20T15:51:00.938-08:00

Chapter11: Embracing Free EnterpriseLet there be amongst you traffic and trade by mutual goodwill.—Surah An-Nisaa (The Women) (4:29)When you are lost, goes an old Malay saying, revert to the source. That seems to be Malaysia’s new economic strategy following the Asian economic crisis of 1997. Buffeted by the turmoil of globalization and open markets, Malaysians yearn for the simpler days of

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-22603147507590904532011-11-13T13:34:00.001-08:002011-11-13T13:34:54.612-08:00

Chapter 10: Freedom, Justice, and the LawThe Judiciary: Justice in JeopardyNot only must there be respect for the rule of law, but the laws themselves must be just. Those administering the law too must be just and be seen to be just. The Malaysian judiciary began on a very high note with judges held in the highest esteem. Tun Suffian set the tone not only with his exemplary personal example

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-66663090832588438002011-11-06T17:31:00.001-08:002011-11-06T17:32:59.673-08:00

[The serialization of my Malaysia in the Era of Globalization resumes next week.]Malaysians Abroad Should Not VoteM. Bakri Musawww.bakrimusa.comMalaysians abroad are misguided and plain wrong in agitating for exercising their right to vote in Malaysian elections. I can the see the validity for students, diplomats and others on temporary assignment abroad demanding such rights, but then they

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-70334806809968817322011-10-30T14:09:00.001-07:002011-10-30T14:09:48.336-07:00

Chapter 10: Freedom, Justice, and the LawPersonal Liberty in Malaysia – Chilling Effects of Repressive Laws like ISAAn editor of a Malaysian professional publication invited me to be its regular contributor. I readily agreed, and aware of the local psyche and ambience, purposely submitted a rather bland first piece. He readily published it but chided me for being too cautious as Malaysia “has

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-69029917553847521482011-10-23T18:34:00.000-07:002011-10-23T18:35:12.141-07:00

Chapter 10: Freedom, Justice, and the LawPersonal Liberty in Malaysia – The Abomination That is the ISA To me the ISA is an abomination. If indeed the Act is for the protection of society, as its supporters suggest, then it has failed miserably. ISA did not prevent the May 1969 tragedy, the 1984 Memali massacre, or more recently, the equally deadly Kampong Medan melee. Surprisingly, the

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-64083343960748863412011-10-16T15:29:00.000-07:002011-10-16T15:30:28.721-07:00

Chapter 10: Freedom, Justice, and the LawPersonal Liberty in MalaysiaFreedom is not absolute. In the West where personal freedom is held in the highest esteem, there are still definable limits. Freedom of speech, in the words of an American jurist, does not include the freedom to yell “Fire!” in a crowded theatre, unless of course there is a fire. America has enshrined in its constitution the

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-76398945800170852632011-10-09T14:11:00.000-07:002011-10-09T14:12:51.672-07:00

Adopt Zakat, Not HududM. Bakri MusaMalay politicians fall all over themselves in advocating hudud, the Islamic penal laws. That is less an expression of their commitment to Islam, more blatant pandering to Muslim voters. If these leaders are truly committed to advancing the cause of Islam, there is a more productive strategy: make zakat mandatory. Being one of the pillars of our faith, zakat

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-28993671154288417942011-10-02T14:16:00.000-07:002011-10-02T14:17:20.045-07:00

Chapter 10: Freedom, Justice, and the LawSociety and IndividualsSociety and individual may be the two sides of the same coin; nonetheless our attitude or more importantly the attitude of those in power as to which side to be viewed first, involves more than just a simple toss of the coin. The difference between a totalitarian state versus a civil one is that with the former, the individual

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-32702593770478462932011-09-25T20:00:00.000-07:002011-09-25T20:01:20.059-07:00

: Chapter 10: Freedom, Justice, and the LawNo person is perfect enough to be entrusted with the liberty and dignity of others.—Mahmoud Mohamed Taha (1909-1985)Sudanese Reformist, executed by his country’s military rulers.I was visiting Malaysia after being away for many years. It was right after the race riot of 1969. The streets were still deserted, and I was driving with my father when we

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-34038360890737974762011-09-18T07:06:00.000-07:002011-09-18T07:08:49.510-07:00

A Whiff of His Father’s LeadershipM. Bakri Musa (www.bakrimusa.com)In announcing the repeal of the Internal Security Act and other repressive laws, Prime Minister Najib Razak secures for himself an enshrined spot in Malaysian history. Of the many thoughtful comments on Najib’s historic announcement, the one that struck at the heart of the issue was that by former Mufti of Perlis, Dr. Asri Zainul

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-59518327858543316012011-09-11T16:49:00.000-07:002011-09-11T16:50:06.074-07:00

Chapter 9: Islam in Malay LifeReform in IslamEducating Ulamas on Modern Economics By educating Muslims generally and the ulama in particular on such modern and useful concepts of economics, and replacing such loaded terms as interest and insurance with the morally neutral terms as rewards on savings and risk sharing, we would channel the natural propensity for Malays to save even more. This in

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-76592156341771777292011-09-04T21:36:00.000-07:002011-09-04T21:37:42.503-07:00

Chapter 9: Islam in Malay Life Reform in Islam Islamic Financial Intermediaries (Cont’d) IFIs thrived in the first few centuries of Islam not because those early Islamic thinkers had found a magic way to dispense with the cost of funds and returns on investments, rather they used different terms (or more crudely said, put a different spin on the issue) to circumvent interests payments and

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-76831143323637287512011-08-28T16:41:00.000-07:002011-08-28T16:42:32.639-07:00

Chapter 9: Islam in Malay Life Reform in Islam Islamic Financial Intermediaries Trade had been flourishing for centuries in Arabia, immediately before and after the prophet’s time. All that buying and selling, together with the caravan expeditions, could not have taken place without there being a satisfactory financing mechanism. There must had been a system for connecting the owners of

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-45121432251229062662011-08-24T19:41:00.000-07:002011-08-24T19:44:54.162-07:00

Religious Obstacles To Malay Economic Development Ramadan is a month for reflection. As we reflect we cannot avoid the depressing reality that the Muslim world is overrepresented in all categories of underdevelopment. The pat and often cited reason is the inherent incompatibility of Islam to modern development. When such an explanation is offered by non-Muslims, they can barely conceal their

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-73033028791059287212011-08-21T18:38:00.000-07:002011-08-21T18:40:49.617-07:00

Chapter 9: Islam in Malay Life Reform in Islam Islamic Economics Dealing With the Concept of Interest As alluded to earlier, the biggest stumbling block to Islamic economics is the concept of interest. Stripped of its complexities, the issue can be simply reduced thus. When B borrows money ($X) from A, there is a cost involved. Regardless of the terminology, someone has to bear that cost.

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-7082838487013481592011-08-14T16:19:00.000-07:002011-08-14T16:20:02.529-07:00

Chapter 9: Islam in Malay Life Reform in Islam Next: Islamic Economics The success and vitality of the modern economy is based on the availability of credit. It is credit that makes the economic world spin smoothly. “Credit is the vital air of the system of modern commerce,” observed Daniel Webster. “It has done more, a thousand times, to enrich nations, than all the mines of all the world

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-39451747523861704152011-08-07T17:01:00.000-07:002011-08-07T17:02:33.040-07:00

Chapter 9: Islam in Malay Life Reform in Islam Islamization of Education There was a time when religion did not have any role in the Malaysian education system. Public schools were completely secular. There were some Christian missionary schools during colonial times, but they did not attract many Malay pupils. Malay parents were fearful that their children would be converted, a not unreasonable

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-23576172501531668442011-07-31T19:11:00.001-07:002011-07-31T19:11:50.269-07:00

Chapter 9: Islam in Malay LifeReform in IslamThe Quest For AnswersPresent-day Muslims look askance at the sorry state in which the vast majority of our ummah live. Muslim nations, even those well endowed by Allah with abundant rich natural resources, live in abject poverty. Human rights abuses are the norm in many Islamic countries. As painfully noted by Abdullahi An-Naim, the vast majority

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-29073948952258666422011-07-30T22:08:00.000-07:002011-07-30T22:10:13.631-07:00

July 25th, 2011Chapter 9: Islam in Malay LifeReform in IslamConfusing Examples For PrinciplesMy main criticism of the traditional ulama is that in their meticulous and detailed studies of the individual verses of the Qur’an and sunnah, they completely miss out on the underlying theme – missing the proverbial forest for the tress.To Taha, Muslims’ preoccupation between secular and Islamic state is

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-61703206388342583082011-07-20T17:51:00.000-07:002011-07-20T17:52:12.189-07:00

Applying Prospect Theory To Ending Affirmative ActionM. Bakri Musawww.bakrimusa.combakrimusa@juno.comAn insight of cognitive psychology (that sub-discipline dealing with mental processes like thinking and decision making) is that humans are far removed from the ideal of a rational self-interested Homo economicus (Economic man) when making decisions, contrary to the core assumption of traditional

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-63026036858882874472011-07-17T14:30:00.001-07:002011-07-17T14:30:36.925-07:00

Chapter 9: Islam in Malay LifeReform in IslamIslam is fortunate in that right from the very beginning it has a tradition of revival and reform. A tradition of the prophet has it that Allah will send every so often unto each ummah those who will renew the faith. Implicit in this hadith is the recognition of a community’s dynamism. The great Muslim reformists of the 19th and early 20th

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-20130653446837248252011-07-14T19:00:00.000-07:002011-07-14T19:01:20.459-07:00

Chapter 9: Islam in Malay LifeShari’a in a Plural SocietyThe issue of the Islamic state is needlessly consuming the energy of many Malaysians, Muslims and non-Muslims alike. It is also the platform of the Islamic Party (PAS), its reason for being. Yet when challenged on the specifics, PAS is sorely unprepared. Surely after championing the issue for the past half a century, its leaders should have

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-71273027570501002122011-07-10T13:31:00.000-07:002011-07-10T13:32:50.881-07:00

Malaysians Passed The Test, Brilliantly!M. Bakri Musawww.bakrimusa.combakrimusa@juno.com[Due to last Saturday’s Bersih 2.0 event, for this week only, the serialization of my book, Malaysia in the Era of Globalization, is switched to Wednesday, and my weekly essay to today (Sunday). My usual pattern will resume next week.]A remarkable thing happened this past weekend. To many, the event on

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-31621262045682475722011-07-06T21:43:00.000-07:002011-07-06T21:44:11.294-07:00

The Wisdom of the StudentsM. Bakri Musawww.bakrimusa.combakrimusa@juno.comIn a remarkable display of professorial prowess, University of Malaya Vice-Chancellor Ghauth Jasmon recently engaged his students in a two-hour dialogue on what it would take to make their university great. With humility, pedagogical skills, and great stage presence, he enthralled his audience while imparting an important

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-79788548333362182772011-07-03T14:15:00.000-07:002011-07-03T14:16:05.972-07:00

Chapter 9: Islam in Malay LifeAuthoritative Versus Authoritarian Ulamas and ScholarsThen there are such irrelevant issues as who can and cannot partake in these debates. There are those ulamas and scholars who feel that only they are qualified enough to partake in such heavy issues. There rest need merely follow their dictates. They are not so much authoritative as much as authoritarian, to

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-46916871252939397122011-06-29T18:01:00.000-07:002011-06-29T18:02:58.077-07:00

Attracting the Best To TeachingM. Bakri Musawww.bakrimusa.comEarly this year the US Department of Education, together with OECD and the Asia Society, convened a summit of education ministers, master teachers, and union leaders from 15 countries. The theme was on attracting, training and retaining the best teachers. Those were no ordinary countries participating; their students had consistently

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-46104256184126995302011-06-26T14:59:00.000-07:002011-06-26T15:00:16.346-07:00

Chapter 9: Islam in Malay LifeReligion must act as the lights do in a car, and not as the brakes do.—Abdolkarim Soroosh, Contemporary Iranian PhilosopherIslam is Malaysia’s state religion. It permeates all aspects of Malaysian life, for Muslims and non-Muslims alike. In this chapter I will examine the impact of Islam on law, education, and economics. These are the three major areas that have

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-57014392592766840542011-06-22T18:01:00.000-07:002011-06-22T18:02:15.804-07:00

Improving The Odds For Our Disadvantaged StudentsM. Bakri Musa (www.bakrimusa.com)Students from a disadvantaged background face many challenges; thus it is not a surprise that they lag academically. This has always been true and accepted as normal. The consequence to this acceptance is that the students’ disadvantaged background becomes too ready an excuse for teachers and policymakers not to

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-80119533112224241732011-06-19T12:15:00.000-07:002011-06-19T12:16:40.489-07:00

Chapter 8: Culture, Institutions, and LeadershipLack of Checks and Balances in Malaysian LeadershipOne unhealthy trend in the Malaysian leadership is the increasing concentration of power and the consequent absence of checks and balances. Invariably this leads to the lack of accountability and potential abuse. It is not so much that power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely,

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-90460701353308681342011-06-15T17:24:00.000-07:002011-06-15T17:25:10.986-07:00

Economic Development Reverses Brain DrainM. Bakri Musa A recent World Bank Report concludes that Malaysia risks jeopardizing its economic development if it does not ameliorate its “brain drain” problem. The Bank singles out the country’s affirmative action program as a major contributor to the problem. Brain drain, as the Bank rightly acknowledges, is a universal problem. For the

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-74809244664300865532011-06-12T20:00:00.001-07:002011-06-12T20:00:58.708-07:00

Chapter 8: Culture, Institutions, and LeadershipLeadershipLeadership to a society is what wings are to planes. Without wings planes will not fly, and without leaders there will be no society. Wings also define the limits on the performances of the plane. Early planes had double stacked wings, the biplanes, which effectively doubled the lift at low speed. But with stronger engines and thus

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-23922948804964858782011-06-08T16:53:00.000-07:002011-06-08T16:54:48.102-07:00

Longing For A Free Mind (Concluding Piece) [Presented at the Fifth Annual Alif Ba Ta Conference at Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ, organized by UMNO Club of New York-New Jersey, January 29, 2011.] Q&A (Cont’d) Contemporary Leaders Q13: We have leaders who surround themselves with opulence while millions of our citizens are mired in poverty. Should Nik Aziz (leader of the

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-69613892354243177832011-06-05T15:57:00.000-07:002011-06-05T15:58:46.795-07:00

Chapter 8: Culture, Institutions, and LeadershipThe Blight of Broken FamiliesI am appalled and saddened at the statistics on the family, especially among Malays. The number of teenage marriages is truly obscene. These young girls are not ready for motherhood. Think of the potential for personal growth thwarted by such early marriages. Malaysia must enact a minimum age of at least 18 for

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-59645797002949035442011-06-01T18:35:00.000-07:002011-06-01T18:36:29.137-07:00

Longing For A Free Mind (Part 13 of 14[Presented at the Fifth Annual Alif Ba Ta Conference at Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ, organized by UMNO Club of New York-New Jersey, January 29, 2011.]Q&A (Cont’d): Islamic State and Leaders Q9: Would you prefer a Muslim leader who is corrupt and incompetent over a non-Muslim who is both honest and competent?A9: One of the speakers commented

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-90361745741629972402011-05-29T14:55:00.000-07:002011-05-29T14:56:05.225-07:00

Chapter 8: Culture, Institutions, and LeadershipThe Institution of the FamilyThe family is the most important social institution. To sociologists, it is the basic unit of social structure. Article 16 of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights states that “the family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society, and is entitled to protection by society and state.” It is in the

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-57724947159323420152011-05-25T17:25:00.000-07:002011-05-25T17:28:10.741-07:00

Longing For A Free Mind (Part 12 of 14[Presented at the Fifth Annual Alif Ba Ta Conference at Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ, organized by UMNO Club of New York-New Jersey, January 29, 2011.]Q& A (Cont’d): Pakatan, UMNO, and MahathirQ4: Pakatan declared that it will take away Malay special privileges. Why should I vote for that coalition?A4: Your greatest fear, and reason for not

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-36499553922086399372011-05-22T12:47:00.000-07:002011-05-22T12:48:34.741-07:00

Chapter 8: Culture, Institutions, and LeadershipCulture as an Agent for ChangeCulture, far from being an impediment to progress, can be harnessed and made into an agent for change. Many are calling for a cultural revolution among Malays, but having seen the disastrous consequences of the Chinese Cultural Revolution and other social upheavals, I am not too enthused. Today’s Malay armchair “

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Longing For A Free Mind (Part 11 of 14[Presented at the Fifth Annual Alif Ba Ta Conference at Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ, organized by UMNO Club of New York-New Jersey, January 29, 2011.]Q&A: Change, Corruption, and Talent RecruitmentQ1: We went through a momentous change, a political tsunami as it were, with the 2008 general elections, yet things have remained unchanged. What

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Chapter 8: Culture, Institutions, and LeadershipEconomic Culture of Malays: Our Purported Lack of Learning And Savings Another pat explanation for Malay backwardness is that we do not save. The resounding success of Tabong Haji narrated earlier gives lie to this claim. There are of course many productivity-eroding habits of Malays. While I expect these to persist among rural dwellers out of

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Longing For A Free Mind (Part 10 of 14)[Presented at the Fifth Annual Alif Ba Ta Conference at Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ, organized by UMNO Club of New York-New Jersey, January 29, 2011.]Free Minds, Free IndividualsIn the remote possibility that you may not readily identify with these giants in our history and legends, let me cite examples of ordinary individuals just like you

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Chapter 8: Culture, Institutions, and LeadershipEconomic Culture of MalaysThe aspect of Malay culture that is pertinent here is the subset termed “economic culture,” that is, the beliefs, attitudes, and values that bear on the economic activities of individuals, organizations, and other institutions (Porter’s definition). I will analyze these on whether they are productivity enhancing or

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Longing For A Free Mind (Part 9 of 14) [Presented at the Fifth Annual Alif Ba Ta Conference at Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ, organized by UMNO Club of New York-New Jersey, January 29, 2011.] Free Minds in Our Legends and History In Sulalatus Salatin (Malay Annals) there is the story of Temasek (old Singapore) being regularly invaded by a school of flying swordfish. Hundreds

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Chapter 8: Culture, Institutions, and Leadership Negeri endah kerana penghulu. (Great nation, great leader.)—Ancient Malay Proverb There is now gradually emerging a common Malaysian culture. Part of this is the result of a deliberate official policy, but more likely it is the natural consequence of people living and working together. I posit this process would have gone further had there been

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Longing For A Free Mind (Part 8 of 14)[Presented at the Fifth Annual Alif Ba Ta Conference at Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ, organized by UMNO Club of New York-New Jersey, January 29, 2011.]The Mind of A Future LeaderIt is within us to topple our personal as well as collective coconut shell. Of course, with enlightened leadership the process would be greatly facilitated. With

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Chapter 7: Enhancing Human CapitalCompetition in the Public serviceThere should also be competition in the public service and society. Today for example, admission into the public administrative service is almost exclusively from the liberal arts stream. Widen the talent pool to include anyone with a degree; actively sought engineering and science graduate. With their quantitative skills they

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Avoiding Being Entrapped Mentally[Presented at the Fifth Annual Alif Ba Ta Conference at Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ, organized by UMNO Club of New York-New Jersey, January 29, 2011.]Once we have adapted to our new open world, we need to reflect on how was it that we were under the coconut shell in the first place. More importantly, how do we prevent ourselves from being

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Chapter 7: Enhancing Human CapitalSharpening Malaysian CompetitivenessTrajectory of ProgressAdvancement or improvements in a society, like elsewhere, occurs along two patterns. One is the rare person or event that comes once in a while that will radically alter the way we look at things and solve problems. There is no way to predict or encourage this. Discoveries of the steam engines, and

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Longing For A Free Mind (Part 6 of 14)[Presented at the Fifth Annual Alif Ba Ta Conference at Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ, organized by UMNO Club of New York-New Jersey, January 29, 2011.]Beyond Flipping Over The Coconut ShellOnce we are dissatisfied with our enclosed world, the second step of actually flipping over our shell is by contrast relatively easy. The challenge here

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Chapter 7: Enhancing Human CapitalSharpening Malaysian CompetitivenessEnsuring that the citizens are healthy and well educated is the first step in turning them into productive and contributing members of society. The two are enabling conditions or prerequisites, but Malaysia needs to go beyond that to ensure that her citizens, and thus the nation, are competitive. The surest way for Malaysia

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Longing For A Free Mind (Part 5 of 13)[Presented at the Fifth Annual Alif Ba Ta Conference at Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ, organized by UMNO Club of New York-New Jersey, January 29, 2011.]Liberation Through EducationThe crucial role of this second instrument – education – in liberating us from underneath our coconut shell is encapsulated in the wisdom of the Greek philosopher

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Chapter 7: Enhancing Human CapitalCharter SchoolsAnother avenue for private sector participation would be a joint private and public partnership to form charter schools. Charter school is a new concept and becoming increasingly popular in America. The underlying idea is to empower the ultimate “consumers” of schools – students and their parents – by taking control away from the central

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Longing For A Free Mind (Part 4 of 13) [Presented at the Fifth Annual Alif Ba Ta Conference at Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ, organized by UMNO Club of New York-New Jersey, January 29, 2011.] [In the first three parts I asserted that for Malaysia to achieve her Vision 2020 goals, both her leaders and citizens must have free minds. Those cooped under their coconut shells are

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Chapter 7: Enhancing Human CapitalEnhancing Human Capital Through Education: Revamping Schools and Universities (Cont’d)There are plenty of ready role models. Malaysia can look to Germany and Switzerland for examples of superior trade and vocational schools. For academic schools, Malaysia could emulate the finest British public or American magnet schools. Local universities could propose

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Longing For A Free Mind (Part 3 of 14) The Comfort of the Coconut Shell [Presented at the Fifth Annual Alif Ba Ta Conference at Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ, organized by UMNO Club of New York-New Jersey, January 29, 2011.] [In the first two parts I asserted that for Malaysia to achieve her Vision 2020 aspirations, she needs leaders and citizens with free minds. I likened those

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Chapter 7: Enhancing Human CapitalEnhancing Human Capital Through Education: Revamping Schools and UniversitiesThe Malaysian government recently published a massive plan, Educational Development – 2001-2010, aimed at revamping the entire education system. However, only a year earlier it had undertaken another massive revision of the curriculum, and that project was yet to be completed (it was

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Longing For A Free Mind (Part 2 of 14) The Meaning of A Free Mind [Presented at the Fifth Annual Alif Ba Ta Conference at Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ, organized by UMNO Club of New York-New Jersey, January 29, 2011.] [In Part 1, I discussed the importance of having leaders and followers with free minds – Hamka’s “berani menyebut yang aku yakin” – if we hope to aspire to Vision

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Chapter 7: Enhancing Human CapitalEnhancing Human Capital Through Education (Cont’d)Malaysian schools today are a far cry from their earlier days. At the recent Third International Mathematics and Science (TIMS) assessment, Malaysia stood way behind South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Singapore. But our leaders are not embarrassed by such comparisons; they keep harping on how Malaysia is the “

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-85645763261094931932011-03-09T16:40:00.000-08:002011-03-09T16:43:20.500-08:00

Longing for A Free Mind (Part 1 of 14) M. Bakri Musawww.bakrimusa.combakrimusa@juno.com [Presented at the Fifth Annual Alif Ba Ta Conference at Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ, organized by UMNO Club of New York-New Jersey, January 29, 2011.] [A nation aspiring for greatness needs leaders with free minds; only they are capable of carving new paths. The Pak Turut (me too) leaders

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Chapter 7: Enhancing Human CapitalEnhancing Human Capital Through EducationGlobalization is driven essentially by knowledge; the new economy is appropriately called the K(for knowledge)-economy. Knowledge is the important ingredient of the new economy, and also its measure. Knowledge has replaced the economists’ “factors of production” – land, labor, and capital – as the chief economic

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-29263016871783555082011-02-20T11:38:00.000-08:002011-02-20T11:39:22.040-08:00

Chapter 7: Enhancing Human Capital Enhancing Human Capital Through Better Health Good health is good for the economy. A National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) paper showed that a one-year improvement in a country’s life expectancy (an index of health) contributes to a four percent increase in its economic output, and that good health has a greater impact on the economy than work

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Malaysia in the Era of Globalization #53Chapter 7: Enhancing Human CapitalAdding Value to a Routine Airport Taxi RideThe second anecdote concerns an airport trip in Atlanta my wife and I took after a medical convention. On discovering that a limousine was only slightly more expensive than a taxi, we decided to go in style. We stepped into this luxurious limousine, with the driver in tuxedo no

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Chapter 7: Enhancing Human CapitalPeople are the real wealth of nations.—UNDP Human Development Report 2001One surprising observation following the American stock market meltdown of October 1987 was that there was very little change in the behavior of American consumers. The Dow Jones Index may have dropped by over 40 percent but stockbrokers and their clients did not jump off the skyscrapers

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Chapter Six: Malaysia: Assets and Liabilities Enhancing Special Privileges To enhance the efficacy of special privileges I would first focus on the bottom 50 percent (better still, bottom 25) of Bumiputras. I agree with Grameen Bank’s Muhammad Yunus who feels that development should be defined to mean positive changes in the economic status of the bottom half of the population. Consequently

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-79022886145650508772011-01-23T11:06:00.000-08:002011-01-23T11:07:03.896-08:00

Chapter Six: Malaysia: Assets and LiabilitiesThe Barnacles of Special PrivilegesMalaysia’s affirmative action programs can be viewed in one of two ways. One, they were designed to ameliorate the deteriorating socioeconomic status of Bumiputras; and two, they are part and parcel of the inherent rights of Bumiputras consequent to their being the indigenous people of the country. With the first,

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Chapter Six: Malaysia: Assets and LiabilitiesMalaysia’s Digital DivideThe digital divide (the lag in IT) is seen not only between Malaysia and the developed world but also within the nation itself: between Malays and non-Malays, rich and poor, and urban and rural. It is widening. This digital divide is also reflective of a more general technology gap.For Malaysians to benefit from globalization,

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Chapter Six: Malaysia: Assets and LiabilitiesThe Far and Pervasive Reach of the Malaysian GovernmentIn Malaysia, the government’s powerful reach is extensive and pervasive, affecting everything and everybody all the time. This was dramatically demonstrated to me recently. A bright Malay student on her own effort was accepted for graduate work at Cambridge University. She applied to a local

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Chapter Six: Malaysia: Assets and LiabilitiesBig Government, Big ProblemsThe remarkable achievement of the Reagan Revolution in America and Thatcher’s in Britain is the recognition, long overdue, that government is not always the solution. In many instances, it is the problem. The most spectacular example of the failure of big government is the Soviet Empire. It collapsed not because it was

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Chapter Six: Malaysia: Assets and LiabilitiesBless Our Geography!Allah has been generous to Malaysia. Malaysians are reminded of this every time they read about natural disasters occurring elsewhere. There are no earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, or devastating floods. God has spared Malaysia such natural calamities. Then there is the climate; it is not visited by extremes of

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Chapter Six: Malaysia: Assets and LiabilitiesOur Plurality An AssetMalaysians, especially the leaders, have always regarded their plural society as a liability. If only the nation were racially and culturally homogenous, these leaders would lament, many of our problems would be gone. Such wishful thinking! I argue the contrary. That is, Malaysia’s racial plurality, far from being a liability

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Chapter Six: Malaysia: Assets and LiabilitiesOther Colonial LegaciesThe other enduring British colonial legacy – a professional army – saw Malaysia through many a crisis, from the konfrontasi against Indonesia in the early 1960s and the 1969 race riot, to the constitutional crisis of the 1980s, and the recent unrest over the Anwar affair. Through it all the military remained neutral and loyal

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Part II: Transforming MalaysiaThe instinct to censor is a powerful one. It is also an acknowledgment of the unpredictable power of words. Goenawan Mohamad, Indonesian editor and journalist.Chapter Six: Malaysia: Assets and LiabilitiesTo prepare for globalization Malaysia must first take stock of herself. She must assess her positive as well as negative attributes; and enhance her assets and

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Chapter 5: Understanding Globalization (Cont’d)Maximizing the Benefits and Minimizing the Downside of GlobalizationUnderstanding the consequences of and the forces driving globalization would help us maximize its benefits and minimize the risks. Globalization has its own dynamics, and like the mighty Mississippi, there is no point in trying to stop it and getting swamped in the process.

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Chapter 5: Understanding Globalization (Cont’d)Globalization and the Free Movement of PeopleEarlier, I alluded to the fact that unlike imperialism where there was mobility of labor, today’s globalization does not have the comparable freedom of movement of people. Unlike goods, services and capital that can slip in and out of borders readily, people still have to go through tedious immigration

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Chapter 5: Understanding Globalization (Cont’d)Correlates of the IT RevolutionWhat marvels me is that this IT revolution has not even reached its maximal potential. Each day promises even more dramatic improvements and new achievements. Today’s personal computer is a quantum leap in performance over those of only a few years ago. Bill Gates is planning to encircle the globe with low orbiting

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Chapter 5: Understanding Globalization (Cont’d)The Corollary to GlobalizationA corollary to globalization is the development of a common acceptable standard, or to use the language of computers, a common platform, or at least a compatible operating system. In the computer industry, a common platform enables my computer to link and communicate with thousands of other computers. One of the common

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Chapter 5: Understanding Globalization (Cont’d)The Forces Driving GlobalizationMuch as the Industrial Revolution of the 18th Century was driven by machines, so too is today’s globalization propelled by technology, in particular Information Technology (IT), and knowledge. The Industrial Revolution began with the invention of steam engines that were used primarily to pump water out of mines. Later

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Chapter 5: Understanding Globalization (Cont’d)Trading in MoneyMalaysia cannot modernize its financial sector and capital markets in part because its leaders are stuck in the pre-globalization mindset, especially in their attitude towards money and capital. While to consumers everywhere money is now simply a convenient medium of commercial transaction, to Mahathir and other Third World

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Chapter 5: Understanding Globalization (Cont’d)Missing the Japanese LessonIn truth many misread the Japanese success story. As Harvard’s Michael Porter observes in his book, The Competitive Advantage of Nations, the successful Japanese companies that now dominate global markets – the Sonys, Olympus, and Toyotas – had survived rigorous competition at home. They competed aggressively among

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-2066957612504506402010-10-07T22:57:00.000-07:002010-10-07T22:59:07.982-07:00

Chapter 5: Understanding GlobalizationForeign Investments in the Third WorldCountries like Malaysia that were once colonized are rightly sensitive about their independence. Thus they tend to look upon foreigners, including investors, with suspicion. The typical Third World initial experience with foreign investors had been with companies of imperial powers. These companies were concerned

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Chapter 5: Understanding GlobalizationLeveling Effects of GlobalizationWhat critics in the West fear most about globalization is its leveling effect. It means that an uneducated American will fare as badly as an illiterate Indonesian, but at the same time, a skillful Indian programmer can compete equally with his American counterpart. The much coddled and highly unionized American workers panic

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Chapter 5: Understanding GlobalizationEarlier Forms Of GlobalizationGlobalization is not a new concept. There have been other globalizing trends in the past. Imperialism was one form, based essentially on the “White Man’s burden” to enlighten the dark world. The ensuing economic bounty to the colonizers is not to be dismissed. The world of the 19th and 20th Centuries was carved according to

M. Bakri Musahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11242104676548688866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12547532.post-74625380277723116192010-09-15T20:03:00.000-07:002010-09-15T20:04:31.214-07:00

Chapter 5: Understanding GlobalizationThere is no doubt that globalization is an idea whose time has come….[But] the fact that [it] has come…does not mean we should sit by and watch as the predators destroy us.—Mahathir bin Mohamad, Prime Minister of MalaysiaThe one dominant force shaping the world today is globalization. That is, the increasing integration of markets, economies, infrastructures,

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Competitiveness Not Unity Basis for StrengthM. Bakri MusaHardly a day goes by without Malay leaders of all persuasions lamenting our lack of unity. If only we are united, they earnestly assure us, we could take on the world! I respectfully disagree; their conviction is misplaced. The force that would make Malays strong is not unity rather competitiveness. If we are competitive, then our place

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Chapter 4: Modern Model StatesThe Relevant Lessons For Malaysia (Cont’d)Moving on to South Korea, it is an example of what sheer determination, discipline, and an obsession with learning and education could do for a nation. When General Park took over, he whipped the nation into strict discipline and regimentation, with a single-minded purpose of economic growth and competitiveness. Being an

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Improve Our Schools, Not Tinker With ExaminationsM. Bakri MusaIn about two weeks nearly half a million Malaysian school children will be sitting for their UPSR, the national examination taken at the end of Year Six. Today there is raging debate on abolishing this as well as the PMR (taken at Year Nine) examination. A decision is expected within weeks. There is however, minimal discussion on

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Chapter 4: Modern Model StatesThe Relevant Lessons For Malaysia (Cont’d)A few years ago I was a guest teacher for the senior class in the school near my village in Malaysia where I once taught briefly as a temporary teacher. What an experience! I was taken aback at how passive and quiet the class was. There was no spunk or energy. In an attempt to stimulate some discussions I uttered some really

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Beyond the Rituals of RamadanM. Bakri MusaInvolved as we are in the many rituals of Ramadan (beyond the integral daytime fasting), it is not surprising that we fail to appreciate much less live the true spirit of this holy month. This is especially so if we live in a predominantly Muslim country like Malaysia. Muslims hold Ramadan in reverence because it was the month in which the first

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Chapter 4: Modern Model StatesThe Relevant Lessons For MalaysiaAt first glance, Malaysians cannot readily identify with any of these three countries. Although they differ in a number of significant ways, nonetheless each has important lessons to offer Malaysia. The most obvious difference is that none of three countries have multiracial societies and the accompanying interracial problems. South

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Secular Aspects of Blessed RamadanM. Bakri MusaA friend from Canada who moved to California many years ago decided recently to return to the cold north. When asked why, he replied that while he absolutely enjoyed the year-round sunshine and the salubrious climate of the Golden State, he found the lack of seasons disorienting. “I could not get anything done,” he claimed, “Every day was too nice

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Chapter 4: Modern Model States Don’t Cry For Argentina (Cont’d)Argentineans today must be wondering where they had gone wrong. How could they mess up such a wonderful country? With such promising attributes and rich resources, it would take a real effort to screw things up. The Argentineans did not accidentally stumble their way down; they must have deliberately taken that path of

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For The Love of Allah, And Only for That!Rabi’a al-’AdawiyyaM. Bakri MusaDuring this Ramadan, like all previous ones, mosques will be full of worshipers and the treasuries of Muslim charities will be flooded with generous donations. This is true of my little Muslim community here in the southern tip of Silicon Valley, California, as well as in the heart of Islam, Mecca. In my community, praise

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