Latest news with #AsianTigers'
Daily Express
30-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Express
Don't compare Malaysia with ‘real tigers', Zaid tells Wan Fayhsal
Published on: Wednesday, April 30, 2025 Published on: Wed, Apr 30, 2025 By: FMT Reporters Text Size: Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim said Bersatu's Wan Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal should 'stop dreaming' about Malaysia's prospects of being an 'Asian Tiger'. PETALING JAYA: Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim today responded to the claim by a Bersatu man that Malaysia could still achieve 'Asian Tiger' status if led by a visionary prime minister, saying the country could not be compared with 'real tigers' such as China, South Korea, or Singapore. Bersatu Supreme Council member Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal had said in an exclusive interview with FMT that such a prime minister should have the 'vision to rally all Malaysians transcending race and religion'. However, Zaid said that Wan Fayhsal should 'stop dreaming'. In a post on X, he said even Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, whom he had previously thought to be a visionary, was unwilling to dismantle current policies. 'Stop comparing us with the real tigers. Our politicians and civil service are not the best, and our education and economic policies are archaic. The corrupt and rent seekers are protected. 'We give preferences to selected groups, but they are not to be questioned. 'We are a feudal oligarchy cemented by a religious bureaucracy the Renaissance man himself dared not recalibrate and reform,' he said in what was believed to be a veiled reference to Anwar. The term 'Asian Tigers' was used in the 1980s and 1990s to describe the fast-growing, now high-income economies of Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong. Malaysia was tipped to be the fifth 'Asian Tiger', but its economic growth was derailed by the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Wan Fayhsal nevertheless said Malaysia checked all the boxes to achieve high-income status, pointing to its strategic location at the heart of Asean, its relative immunity to major natural disasters, and its diverse cultures and traditions. 'All of these 'ingredients' must be 'cooked' by a prime minister with the vision to rally all Malaysians transcending race and religion,' he said. * Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss. * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Free Malaysia Today
30-04-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Malaysia can be ‘Asian Tiger' with visionary leadership, says Wan Fayhsal
Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal says the government must correct the education system's entire value chain to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics. PETALING JAYA : Malaysia can still achieve 'Asian Tiger' status if led by a visionary prime minister who can unite Malaysians across all racial and religious divides, says an opposition MP. In an exclusive interview with FMT, Bersatu's Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal said the country must recalibrate its policies and shift its value systems to achieve this vision. 'I believe such a vision still holds water for our future generations. What we need now is a recalibration of our focus areas to better position ourselves for success. 'We should aspire to claim that title over the next 50 years,' he said. The term 'Asian Tigers' was popularly used in the 1980s and 1990s to describe the fast-growing economies of Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong — all of which have since achieved high-income status. Malaysia was tipped to be the fifth 'Asian Tiger', but its economic growth was derailed by the 1997 Asian financial crisis. The Bersatu Supreme Council member said Malaysia checks all the boxes to achieve high income status. He pointed to the country's strategic location at the heart of Asean, its relative immunity to major natural disasters, and the rich tapestry of diverse cultures and traditions present. 'All these 'ingredients' must be 'cooked' by a prime minister who has the vision to rally all Malaysians transcending race and religion. 'We have multilingual talents. We are proficient in English, and that would easily attract investment, compared to our neighbouring countries,' he said. Wan Fayhsal also said the nation's leaders would need to be committed to a reform agenda that prioritises long-term progress over political expediency. 'The agenda has to be democratically inclusive, and it has to involve everyone, not just the royalties and politicians, but also every single rakyat who pays tax in the country,' he said. Education reform Another crucial step for Malaysia to achieve high-income status, he said, is to reform the education system with a stronger emphasis on fostering interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Wan Fayhsal said the government's lack of promotion in these areas has resulted in a shortage of role models for the younger generation. 'We all know very well that the youth are currently not interested in venturing into hard sciences or technical sciences. 'That is why the entire value chain of the education system must be corrected and reformed with the right model and syllabus,' he said. However, Wan Fayshal also urged educators not to overlook liberal arts subjects that nurture imagination and creativity, noting that some of the most innovative technologies on the market have come about by blending together humanities and engineering.
Free Malaysia Today
30-04-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Don't compare M'sia with ‘real tigers', Zaid tells Wan Fayhsal
Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim said Bersatu's Wan Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal should 'stop dreaming' about Malaysia's prospects of being an 'Asian Tiger'. PETALING JAYA : Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim today responded to the claim by a Bersatu man that Malaysia could still achieve 'Asian Tiger' status if led by a visionary prime minister, saying the country could not be compared with 'real tigers' such as China, South Korea, or Singapore. Bersatu Supreme Council member Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal had said in an exclusive interview with FMT that such a prime minister should have the 'vision to rally all Malaysians transcending race and religion'. However, Zaid said that Wan Fayhsal should 'stop dreaming'. In a post on X, he said even Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, whom he had previously thought to be a visionary, was unwilling to dismantle current policies. 'Stop comparing us with the real tigers. Our politicians and civil service are not the best, and our education and economic policies are archaic. The corrupt and rent seekers are protected. 'We give preferences to selected groups, but they are not to be questioned. 'We are a feudal oligarchy cemented by a religious bureaucracy the Renaissance man himself dared not recalibrate and reform,' he said in what was believed to be a veiled reference to Anwar. The term 'Asian Tigers' was used in the 1980s and 1990s to describe the fast-growing, now high-income economies of Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong. Malaysia was tipped to be the fifth 'Asian Tiger', but its economic growth was derailed by the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Wan Fayhsal nevertheless said Malaysia checked all the boxes to achieve high-income status, pointing to its strategic location at the heart of Asean, its relative immunity to major natural disasters, and its diverse cultures and traditions. 'All of these 'ingredients' must be 'cooked' by a prime minister with the vision to rally all Malaysians transcending race and religion,' he said.
