Malaysia is facing intense challenges for its “wawasan 2020”, and it is clear that despite being on its way to achieve the much craved developed nation status by 2020, it will remain a country rigged by scandals, corrupt practices and money politics.
A recent article by Bloomberg characterised the scenario of the near future for the country, and we added our own spice to it.
There are many predicaments that Malaysia has to overcome in the next few years in order to achieve the developed nation status as more skyscrapers and a few new train lines would not suffice.
As Najib is plowing billions of ringgit in building new highways and a more connected public transportation, he removed subsidies that the people need more in order to boost the nation’s finances, said Bloomberg.
Corruption and cronyism is an on going problem in Malaysia that is still persisting. The culture of protectionism of incompetence at decision level in local companies are also persisting.
There’s also the money politics that trickles cash down from the party chiefs to the grassroots, helping to keep the ruling coalition in uninterrupted power for six decades.
The Human Rights Watch said that Malaysia needs to have a strong opposition party, a more relaxed and opened media, along with a more powerful anti-corruption agency which relies less on the government.
Other critics say that Malaysia needs to stop patronage politics, which is one big cause factor for corruption. It needs to stop in order to avoid scandals later on.
Najib’s banker brother said that Malaysia needs to fix its “moral compass” after the 1MDB scandal erupted in the world’s media.
Campaign funds for the elections needs to be stricter as it would reduce the level of money politics in the country.
Najib has set up a commission whose chairman said that it would ban donations from overseas and government-linked sources.
Lastly, the Malaysian academics are starting to promote the radicalisation of Islam in the country, whether it is a good or bad thing, lets see how they do it.