Opportunity wasted (to send a message)
* Prime Minster need to the usage of 'innovation' greater in his speeches
* Needs to discover a manner to harness the creativity of civil servants
IT is is not regularly that you study approximately a RM4 billion funding into the country. But that was what German wafer fabrication agency Infineon announced ultimate Thursday, May 10. I was thrilled. It way jobs, lots of jobs, well-paying jobs and a large multiplier effect on Kulim, Sg Patani and even Penang.
It additionally method the technical colleges within the us of a need to urgently get their act together and sharpen the satisfactory in their curriculum and upgrade their coaching functionality. The Germans are coming.
One person who become no longer at the statement though, turned into Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. As CEO of Malaysia, I think he have to were there. Even if he become busy, he have to have made time to go.
I changed into upset and puzzled. So, I first regarded via The Star, which rightly ran the Infineon funding as their cover story within the Business section, to peer what our CEO become up too that would be so critical to maintain him away from pronouncing the RM 4billion funding.
I did not see some thing massive. I suppose Najib lost a brilliant chance to sell Malaysia similarly. News like this is normally picked up via the wire services, the monetary desks of the diverse embassies right here, the chambers of trade and is sent globally.
Najib’s presence and a well-written speech about Malaysia’s development in shifting up the producing cost chain, highlighting progress made inside the numerous GTP and ETPs could have loved global publicity. He ought to have highlighted the truth that Infineon changed into making plans to expand a competency centre with a purpose to cognizance on technologies within the energy-efficiency and car industries.
I recall it an possibility misplaced.
One cannot assist however marvel if his no-display at the event changed into related to the reality that the state of Kedah would have loved the bulk of the credit score from the Infineon investment. Though held with the aid of Pakatan Rakyat, final I checked, Kedah turned into nevertheless very a whole lot a part of Malaysia. But I discount this as, final December, Najib made time from his agenda to officiate the respectable statement of IBM making an investment RM1 billion into Malaysia over the next five years. That became in Selangor.
Anyway, I am now not one to dwell on such mischievous questioning.
What I would love to peer the PM do greater of, is to speak about innovation and doing things better. This is after all the 12 months of the National Science and Innovation Movement Year 2012. Najib must infuse all his speeches with works along with innovation, now not being afraid to fail, dare to be one of a kind.
And he need to pepper his vocabulary with words and phrases along with “innovation” and “extraordinary or new methods of doing things.” Do that frequently enough and those will recognize he's actual and really interested by how Malaysians weave technology and innovation/doing things in a better manner into their normal lives.
He can start by means of unleashing the energy of the one million civil servants. I word with hobby Najib taking the time to meet various companies for teh tarik or breakfast. What type of powerful message would he be sending out have to some civil servants be lucky sufficient to meet him for a chat — each month. The criteria might be that they came up with an concept to help shop time or simplify an present bureaucratic procedure.
This easy act might unleash the dormant feel of empowerment of our civil carrier. I am sure a person at Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya will immediately come up with the idea of no longer requiring one’s car registration ought to one befall the unfortunate revel in of getting their automobile clamped and towed.
This requirement is honestly ridiculous. What do the registration details should do with getting one’s car unclamped? And then there is the easy act of wanting to pay for the fine. You are asked to go to the MBPJ building whilst you ask if you could pay your fines to the officer immediate. So, I have to ask … how difficult is it to have every officer ready with a hand held device to simply accept bills from officers? Apparently very hard.
It became a totally unproductive exercise for the officers too because it took me 80 mins to get the excellent taken care of out. The 3 MBPJ officers were status around doing little or no at some point of this period wherein instead, they could have used their time to nail greater human beings parking illegally.
So, Mr Prime Minister, how approximately spending one breakfast a month with a number of your extra innovative civil servants. And, do remind your people that in future, you would love to be there for any over FDI made in extra of RM1 billion. That’s no small trade.
This article appeared previously in The Malaysian Insider