CHAPTER 109 The Mystique of National Transformation1
I am often asked: What’s this new economic model (NEM) all about; how is this related to the economic transformation program (ETP) and to the government transformation program (GTP); what has all this got to do with creating a high-income society; what is this middle-income trap we are caught in; and why the urgency for national transformation?
Since the idea of NEM was first mooted by Prime Minister Mohd Najib Abdul Razak in mid-2009, our vocabulary has been enriched (or debased) by a barrage of upbeat words (economic roadmap, transformational journey, squeezed-in-the-middle, social minefields, talent management, managed liberalization, catalyzing change, etc.), some of which boggles the mind. New acronyms include NEAC, GNI, NKEAs, NKRAs, SRIs, EPPs, BOs, 10MP, IEB, Pemandu and GOA, Greater KL/KV, and many more. This is more than most can remember—let alone know what they stand for and to understand the complex web of interrelationships among them. No wonder the public seems confused. Many businessmen, investors, civil servants, and even academics are not sure they understand enough to lend a deep insight into how the various parts fit together and how they relate to what they are doing.
It is tough to fully appreciate the whole scheme of things in order to be able to buy in. After all, the entire framework, strategies, and policies and the manner they are stitched together are rather complex. Going through the maze of close ...