Dubai dreams, Malaysia magic

If it’s not easy to imagine Dubai without Mohammed, Malaysia and Mahathir Mohamad are equally inseparable. The Southeast Asian country is a living and breathing tribute to one man’s imagination. Although Mahathir has long departed from the scene passing on his mantle to his protégé Abdullah Badawi, his influence on Malaysia today is everywhere.

Dubai dreams, Malaysia magic
BY AIJAZ ZAKA SYED

THE Pakistani cabbie who rushed me to the Dubai International Airport last week for my Kuala Lumpur flight was uncharacteristically sullen. I hurled the most clichéd question at him as soon as I settled down: ‘Khan, how long have you been in Dubai?’

‘More than I can remember. Over 25 years, I guess,’ he replied in his thick Pashtu-laced Urdu.

‘When are you planning to go home?’

‘I don’t know. Anyway, Dubai is my home now,’ he said with a touch of sad resignation in his voice. ‘I go to Peshawar every two years. But since I’ve got to feed my family back home, I can’t stay long with them.’

Driving over the Garhoud Bridge, he gestured to the parallel bridge that is fast coming up. Dubai continues to build and expand its already vast and efficient road network to deal with the ever-growing population and traffic of the emirate.

‘Look at that. Another bridge, another road and a few more thousand of new jobs. I’ve witnessed Dubai and UAE grow for the past quarter of a century. This place never ceases to amaze me. Always developing, always building something or the other. And this growth has suddenly gone into overdrive, right in the top gear over the past few years.

‘And it’s all thanks to leaders like Shaikh Zayed (the late visionary president of the UAE) and Shaikh Mohammed (UAE vice-president, prime minister and Ruler of Dubai). Sir, if only our countries had been blessed with a Shaikh Mohammed of our own, we wouldn’t be working here — thousands of miles away from home. Look at me, I’ve spent more than half of my life away from my loved ones,’ the cabbie shook his head.

Earthy wisdom there! The cabbie’s words (Silly me, I didn’t even ask for his name!) have stayed with me ever since. He was right. Leaders with a vision build nations and countries.

Travelling across and deep inside Malaysia for a week, I was constantly reminded of the conversation with the Pathan cabbie. Malaysia is another shining and inspiring example how individuals can indeed change the destiny of nations.

One visionary leader can make all the difference.

In Dubai’s case, it is Shaikh Mohammed’s leadership that has made all the difference.

When I landed in Dubai nearly five years ago, I found this breathless adulation for Shaikh Mohammed among the Emiratis as well as expatriates a little disconcerting. Coming from India, the world’s largest democracy, I saw it as little more than yet another manifestation of the personality cult that is so common across the Third World and many Arab-Muslim countries.

But having keenly, and rather sceptically, watched Shaikh Mohammed over the past five years, I’ve ended up as a wide-eyed, hopeless admirer of the Dubai Ruler and UAE prime minister. It’s nearly impossible not to fawn over the dynamic leader.

Inspired by his equally farsighted late father, Shaikh Mohammed has transformed Dubai into a top and thriving world class tourist destination and economic capital of the Middle East. So much so that many people around the world today know and identify the Middle East with reference to Dubai. Dubai is the Middle East and the Middle East is Dubai, it would appear. And Dubai is Shaikh Mohammed!

And, mind you, all this has been spawned on the strength of sheer imagination and resilience of spirit. Remember, Dubai has little oil. At least, not as much as other Gulf states to live off it in carefree luxury. Dubai and Shaikh Mohammed defy all stereotypes about the Arab and Muslim world.

He is ever so preoccupied with the welfare of his people that he has little time to idle around. He is unveiling some project or the other on a daily basis to cater to his already pampered people.

If it’s not easy to imagine Dubai without Mohammed, Malaysia and Mahathir Mohamad are equally inseparable. The Southeast Asian country is a living and breathing tribute to one man’s imagination. Although Mahathir has long departed from the scene passing on his mantle to his protégé Abdullah Badawi, his influence on Malaysia today is everywhere.

Which isn’t really surprising given the fact Mahathir is the one who transformed an isolated, impoverished and long colonised land into a hip and happening country that is a constant source of inspiration and envy to the neighbourhood and rest of the world. The country’s growth over the past two decades, under Mahathir’s dynamic leadership, has been truly phenomenal.

If Malaysia today is seen as one of the fastest growing economies and is admired around the world for its poised progress, the credit should go to Mahathir.

And it’s not difficult to see why Malaysians love to love the former prime minister. No wonder the current prime minister Abdullah Badawi finds it hard to emerge out of his former mentor’s long shadow.

Driving down the highway that connects Malaysia with Singapore in the south and Thailand in the north, one is amazed at the wide and winding six-lane road that is hemmed in on either side by thick palm plantations. Such perfectly smooth roads are a rarity in most of the Third World and Asian countries.

And it’s not something that has been done to impress new arrivals in the country. Wherever you go, Malaysia has similar magnificent roads. And this preoccupation with perfection doesn’t end with roads. Malaysia has institutions and infrastructure that can compete with the best in the developed world and can be a source of envy for the developing world. It has already beaten neighbours such as Thailand and Singapore to emerge as the world’s favourite tourist destination in Asia.

Not a small feat considering Malaysia won its independence much later than other Asian countries like India and Pakistan, in 1957. In fact, it became Malaysia — a union of major states like Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak — only in 1969. What is really fascinating about Malaysian experience is the fact that despite its phenomenal economic growth and development, the Muslim majority country with large ethnic Chinese and Indian communities hasn’t broken away from its rich religious, cultural and historical heritage. It is a truly multicultural and multi-religious society in the real sense.

Unlike the European model of integration where religious and ethnic minorities are kept at a respectable distance — in their ghettos, Malaysia’s minorities are a healthy part of the mainstream. At the same time, the country remains firmly faithful to its Islamic character and identity. Malaysia also demolishes the myth that Islam and democracy or Islam and modernity do not go together.

There are invaluable lessons in the success stories of Malaysia and Dubai for the rest of the Muslim world. The two Mohammeds — Shaikh Mohammed and Mahathir Mohamad — have demonstrated, and how, that you can make your dreams come true, if you believe in them. It’s sheer grit and imagination that have enabled the two leaders to excel and achieve for their people few leaders have in such a remarkably short time.

Remarkably enough, both Dubai and Malaysia have embraced modernity without turning their back on their traditions.

The two leaders have proved that there is no dearth of original thinking, talent and urge to excel in the Arab and Muslim world even today. What you need is the power of imagination and the leaders who can make those dreams come true. Little wonder then Dubai and Malaysia are compelling others in their neighbourhood to follow the suit.

Never underestimate the power of your dreams. They may come true.

Aijaz Zaka Syed is Assistant Editor of Khaleej Times. He can be reached at aijazsyed@khaleejtimes.com




Anwar's Media Statement: Bank Negara Forex Speculation

Tun Dr. Mahathir recently denied my assertion that Bank Negara Malaysia lost approximately RM30 billion in foreign exchange speculation in the 1990s. He argued that the losses recorded was a small portion of the profits made.

Based on figures audited by the auditor general Bank Negara recorded total losses of RM33.8 billion in forex speculation from 1989 to 1993 This was offset by a small profit in 1990 of RM2.5 billion. As such, the loss amounted to RM31.3 billion, affirming my previous statement.

Up to 2003, Bank Negara had to pay RM868 million per annum as a result of the loss.

Undeniably, Nor Mohamed Yakcop, was the one who implemented the forex transactions since 1986, in Bank Negara at that time as the assistant governor. At that time, Tun Daim Zainuddin was Minister of Finance. Furthermore, according to the then Bank Negara Governor Tan Sri Jaffar Hussein, he concealed the real extent of the debacle from the Governor.

On the advice of Nor Mohamed Yaakcop, the Governor submitted to me an initial report that was tabled to the Cabinet and Parliament indicating that it was merely paper losses due to exchange rate fluctuations that could be salvaged. This was later unrealised and the losses recorded was phenomenal. The Governor took responsibility for misleading the Treasury although he reiterated his views that Nor Mohamed Yaakcop was culpable. I accepted his resignation and through him, instructed Nor Mohamed Yaakcop to do likewise.

Following the fiasco, he could have been charged in court had he not resigned and was not supposed to hold any position in the finance industry.

Nor Mohamed Yakcop was later brought back by Tun Dr. Mahathir as an economic adviser. The current Prime Minister has gone further and appointed Nor Mohamed Yakcop as the Second Finance Minister.

Since the losses to the Government, and ultimately the Malaysian people is huge, it is only proper for an independent commission to investigate the matter thoroughly and identify the real culprits to account for the huge loss.

ANWAR IBRAHIM

January 16th 2007

Meanwhile, Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Kit Siang and Lim Guan Eng have been invited to speak on “The state of the Malaysian economy” at a ceramah perdana on Wednesday, 24 January 2007 at the Penang Chinese Town Hall beginning 8.00 pm.

This is the first time the former Deputy Prime Minister and Parti Keadilan Rakyat advisor is invited to speak at a ceramah organized by the DAP Penang State Committee.

It is also a rare opportunity to see these three top Opposition leaders sharing the same stage, speaking on important issues of the country as we celebrates 50 years of nation-building.

Anwar has advocated that the NEP be abandoned. To replace the NEP, Anwar has mooted a New Economic Agenda, which emphasizes justices for all Malaysians and eradicating poverty regardless of race.

Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang said recently a “soprano” Prime Minister, “keris-wielding” Education Minister, “half-past six” Cabinet, “Little Napoleon” civil service ad “stupid” politicians are not recipe for greater international competitiveness and First World developed nations for Malaysia.

DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng proposed the Malaysian First concept as a continuation of DAP’s original struggles for a Malaysian Malaysia. Malaysian First stresses the dual purpose of achieving national unity and economic prosperity among all Malaysians.

Come and listen to these top Opposition leaders on 24 January.

Admission is free.

Mahathir Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Malaysia LimKit Siang DAP KeAdilan