9MP - Create a Nation of Thinkers?

"The National Mission also wants to create a nation of thinkers and doers, people with character and intellect".

I agree that this is the right way forward i.e to create a nation of thinkers. A nation that is able to think on its own feet and differentiate between what is good or bad. A nation that is rational and critical in its thinking, not full of "yes" man.

There's is need for a pradigm shift to break-away from this old mindset. We can start with the younger generation. Reviewing the Universities and Colleges Act is a good start.

Spreading the wealth

KUALA LUMPUR: A more equitable nation is the thrust of the Ninth Malaysia Plan presented by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in Parliament yesterday.

The first five years of the 15-year blueprint, dubbed the National Mission, will see a big increase in development expenditure and the plan is focused on spreading wealth and growth across the country.

Stressing on improving knowledge and skills in the country, Abdullah's National Mission also calls for improving the quality of life for all Malaysians while promising that the capacity and effectiveness of the public sector will be sharpened.

He said he wanted progress that was holistic, encompassing all nine aspects contained in Vision 2020.

"We want progress that is enjoyed by all, regardless of religion or ethnicity.

"We want to build a progressive and developed civilisation that echoes the glorious age of Islam and other civilisations, in line with the concept of Islam Hadhari," he said.

Central to the RM220bil 9MP and the National Mission are five key areas, the first touching on moving the economy up to a higher level.

Here, Abdullah's new policy will focus on manufacturing and services, but special attention will be paid to agriculture and small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs).

The development of agriculture is an important tool to not only create jobs and reduce the food bill, but also reduce the income gap between rural and urban areas, while a vibrant SME sector is seen as a strong building block for greater links within the economy and as a big contributor to growth.

The National Mission also wants to create a nation of thinkers and doers, people with character and intellect. Realising that the competitive strengths of the country in the 1990s, such as labour and capital, are more abundantly available elsewhere in the region, better education to improve the stock of human capital was being stressed.

Apart from a more knowledgeable population, the Government aims to reduce the socio-economic imbalances that still permeate the country by pursuing equitable growth.

Here, the Government will address the rural-urban and ethnic disparities and also ensure that development projects and initiatives will be spread more evenly to all corners of the country.

Not left out of the National Mission is a better quality of life, something that every aspiring developed nation must possess. Better quality water, efficient energy usage, improved housing and a much better transportation system are all high on the agenda.

The Government will listen more to the private sector to cut red tape, and improving integrity will be an important facet in building a more upright society.