Quietly, without much fanfare, foreign investments are pouring into Malaysia in the billions. And these are not midget companies coming in to set up shops to sell nasi lemak and teh tarik. They are big names in tech and semiconductors. Malaysia is moving up the manufacturing ladder fast, making automobiles, EVs, chips, refining rare earths, advanced tech industries that are not normally found in third world countries. Malaysia is not just making Protons. Oops, Protons are now making EVs. BMW has chosen Malaysia as a manufacturing base, a big sign of confidence in Malaysia. Malaysia is knocking at the doors of developed countries with its strategic position, stable political system and an educated workforce and a pro development govt.
Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia are all in the race to become serious regional manufacturing hubs. The competition is stiff but fair, the fittest will survive. The future looks very good for these four powerhouses in ASEAN. Caveat, their progressive and pro economic development govts can hold the fort without being destabilised by domestic or regional politics. There are always external forces that would want to turn ASEAN into another Ukraine or the Middle East. Thailand is under great pressure and at the brink of war if it fails to stop the provocateurs. Who is behind the Thai Cambodia border conflict? Are the Thais and Cambodians so eager to want to fight among themselves, kill each other and destroy their economies? Who would be the beneficiary if the Thais and Cambodians fight?
Malaysia is looking quite stable superficially. The domestic politics is still in turmoil. The kampong politicians have run out of ideas in this high tech world. They can only think of making money with their nasi lemak and teh tarik politics. Their vision stops there. What high tech industries, industrial estates, economic zones? These are aliens to them, They only know how to get rich playing their kampong politics, masak masak.
Only two forces in Malaysia are in a position to stall the kampong politicians from spoiling the broth. It would be sad that after making so much progress, establishing an international reputation as a favourable country for investment, that all these be undermined by low thinking kampong politicians. Anwar has a tough job cut for him but trying his best to keep the lid from blowing up. He has the support of the Agung, a firm and stable hand, to stop the kampong politicians from creating more mischiefs to overturn the apple cart.
ASEAN must stay neutral, at peace for more trade and development in the region, and turn itself into the next economic giant in the world. With peace and stability, ASEAN is looking good as the next China, the next growth engine in the world with Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam taking the lead.
3 comments:
Provided Malaysia does not end up being ruled by UMNO again or worse still by PAS. UMNO is not completely integrated with Anwar, just leveraging and there is a stirring underneath the leadership that tells a different story about Anwar's fragile coalition.
The coalition is not standing on very firm ground and UMNO is reputed to be the actual kingmaker, with Anwar being able to be there due to UMNO's support. This point cannot be missed at all. PAS is an Islamic Party. UMNO is also an Islamic controlled party. Both needed the majority Muslim support. Both are infested by corrupted politicians.
For so long, corruption in Malaysia was thought to only happen to politicians. Now the can of worms are crawling out from the military top brass. When nothing heard, can claim it is not happening.
Just like countries flooded with foreigners with fake degrees. If no one is caught, just claim no fake degrees, all genuine and live happily with it. The question is why no foreigner or very few foreigners were caught with fake degrees. Why? Is it good or bad for a country to be filled with foreigners with fake degrees?
Is it negligence or intentional?
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