Koon Yew Yin, 24th Aug 2024

In 2012, I wrote my first book “Malaysia: Road Map For Achieving Vision 2020” which was launched by former Financial Minister Tengku Razaleigh.

In January 2021, I wrote my 2nd book “New Road Map To A Developed Nation” which was launched by Dato Sri Anwar Ibrahim as shown below. 

Unfortunately, Malaysia is still not classified as a Developed Nation.

What is a Developed Country?

A developed country is a sovereign state with a high industrial and Human Development Index compared to other countries. It must also have a technologically advanced infrastructure, and its economy must be highly developed. It is also referred to as an industrialized country or more developed country.

Determining Factors

There are several parameters used to determine the level of economic development of a country and they include Human Development Index, income per capita, political stability, industrialization, freedom and living standards of the general population, Gross national Product (GNP), and Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Human Development Index (HDI)

HDI is a measure developed by the UN to measure human development in a country and the higher the HDI the more prosperous the country is. Unlike the GDP or GNP, which give income and productivity only, HDI gives how income is turned into human development like education or health. For a developed country the literacy, education, and health levels are high. When considering HDI, access to good health care and child mortality rate at birth is considered while access to quality and free education, years spent in school, and the ability to incorporate learned knowledge to real-life situations are considered. In a developed nation, the rate of child mortality at birth is extremely low, and education is accessible to all. The HDI is always quantified and put on a scale between 0 and 1 with most developed having a score above 0.8.

Income Per Capita

This refers to the average amount of money a person receives within one year in a specific region. It is calculated by dividing the total income in a specific country by the total population of that country, and this value is always high in a developed country. High per capita income signifies high economic and financial security for the general population of that nation. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is also used to determine the per capita value. GDP is the market value of the final product produced in a country for a particular period mostly quarterly or yearly. If the GDP of a nation is high, then that state is more developed.

Industrialization

For a developed country, the rate of industrialization and employment is high thus the general population depends less on agriculture. Such a nation will have higher exports than imports hence the profits from international trade will ensure that there is economic growth hence increase in industrialization. The technological infrastructure of a developed nation is also high due to the high level of industrialization.

General Living Standards

The cost of living in a developed country is high compared to the less developed country, and this is because the majority of the population is willing and has the financial ability to afford quality goods and services which are expensive. Secondly, goods produced by local industries are mostly consumed as opposed to imported products which might be inferior. The general public has access to clean water and environment, affordable and quality housing and access to other social and economic amenities in the country like access to emergency services are fast.

Freedom

A developed country has freedom for its citizens and respects the law. The freedom to worship, marry, own property, and access to information characterizes a developed nation. In less developed countries, there are a lot of restrictions and citizens cannot do whatever they like freely. Some of the developed countries are Australia, the United States of America, Canada, Japan, Germany, and the United Kingdom among others.

Political Stability

The index for measuring political stability was developed by World Bank and it is a measure of the level of development of a country. Developed countries have stable political environments, low or no corruption, and high levels of respect for the country's laws. Good Governance ensures that the level of corruption is low, transparency in running the government is high, and employment is based on merit and qualifications. The Global Governance Indicator is standardized on a scale of -2.5 and +2.5 points with the +2.5 being the highest standards of political stability signifying a developed nation.

Malaysia is infamous for corruption: Just 2 days ago, former Finance Minister Tun Diam’s son is being questioned by MACC.

If you Google “what is the net worth of former finance minister Tun Diam?” You can see “Tun Daim: The Real And Unreported Richest Man In Malaysia Worth RM 65 Billion In The Bursa Malaysia – Owned A Swiss Bank & 14 Other Banks Worldwide”.

If you Google “What is the net worth of Dr Mahathir and his sons?”, you can see this “Mokhzani owns 255 companies, with estimated total assets worth USD21 billion; Mirzan owns 156 companies, with estimated total assets worth USD17 billion; Mukhriz owns 128 companies, with estimated total assets worth USD13 billion; and Marina owns 52 companies, with estimated total assets worth USD9 billion.”

If you Google “What is the net worth of Najib and his wife?” You can see “Some sources suggest that Najib Razak’s net worth is around $12.5 billion”.

If you Google “What is the net worth of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim?” You can see “Things to know about Malaysia’s 10th Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim: Anwar Ibrahim’s net worth is RM11.17 million Ahead of the 15th General Elections (GE15), he declared his assets of RM11.17 million. In a bid for political transparency, he encouraged other leaders to follow suit.”

Anwar’s wealth is so much smaller than Tun Dr Mahathir, Tun Diam and Najib and Rosmah. 

Anwar can be classified as a saint.

After having tried so long and so many ways to help Malaysia to become a Developed Nation, I still cannot succeed. Finally, I would like to suggest our Prime Minister form an advisory council to advise him to make Malaysia a fully Developed Nation.

Advisory Council Members

• Prime Minister
• Representative from the Civil Service
• Representative from the Banking and Finance
• Representative from Bursa Malaysia
• Representative from the Business Council
• Representative from Workers Union
• Representative from Property Developers Association
• Representative from the Master Builders Association
• Representatives from the Boards of Engineers, Architects, Education, and other major professions.
• Representatives from the Industries, Plantation, SME, etc.

The Advisory Council should meet once a month to discuss what actions to be taken by the Prime Minister for the month.

Advisory Council Responsibilities

1. Provide Specialized Information, Skills, and Experience

The advisory council provides tailored advice that focuses on specific areas, such as technology, marketing, etc. 

Experienced advisory council members provide technical advice and critical thinking in areas beyond the board members’ typical fields of expertise. 

The council provides recommendations, but it’s up to the board of directors to decide on their appropriateness.

2. Provide Guidance and Oversight

Advisory councils provide the board with the latest solutions, trending techniques, and knowledge so the organization stays competitive in its industry. 

This could mean helping the company tailor its services in a way that attracts a new segment of customers. 

In other words, the council gives the staff and board a fresh perspective on programmatic issues.

3. Help the Organization Run Successful Projects

An advisory council can help an organization execute a project from launch to completion. It might include drafting project designs, developing competent teams, creating budgets, and establishing the roles of a project’s stakeholders. 

Additionally, an advisory council can help the board evaluate risks and plan proactively to enhance preparedness and resilience in the project. If risks do occur, the organization will be well-positioned to tackle them accordingly. 

The council also helps the board manage projects to ensure progress and key deadlines are met. That way, the organization can make informed decisions and ensure the project remains on track with predetermined goals.

4. Promote the Organization in the Community

An advisory council can act as the organization’s advocate in the community it serves. Leveraging their expertise and industry network, council members can help an organization connect to a greater constituency. 

For example, overseas companies may appoint a country-specific advisory council to provide in-market expertise and shed light on the local business and political culture. 

Alternatively, some advisory councils support business development by making new introductions and acting on the organization’s behalf at social functions and industry events.