Mahathir's shame

From FMT:

The contradictions that are pulling down our nation by TK Chua

The problem with Malaysia is that we like to set high ideals, put up slogans, have great ambitions and draw inspiration from the successes of other countries. We looked East, essentially to Japan and Korea, during their heydays. We now want to look to China too and again I think it is due to its recent progress in various fields.

We also like to talk about virtues such as hard work, trustworthiness, and knowledge which are important ingredients in determining success.

But Malaysia’s Achilles heel has always been its lack of cogent and concerted action. We have lots of words, but very little deeds. We are full of ambition, but the values we inculcate on the ground portray a very different story.

We fail to achieve much because we are unprofessional in our thoughts and actions. We routinely condone laziness, forgive incompetence and unethical behaviour, and practise double standards to the hilt. Once we reach this stage, shamelessness becomes a non-issue.

Our successive failures are either covered up or bailed out without any lesson learned or new action taken. Just look at the numerous projects that have been run to the ground – from running an airline to car manufacturing to the state of education. Instead of meditating over our failures, we feel proud as if we have done nothing wrong. Today, we are once again trying to indulge in grandiose stuff without thinking much of our own work culture and capability.

Other countries became tigers and dragons quietly, sometimes with much help from the Malaysian diaspora seeking opportunities elsewhere. We make lots of noise but have not accomplished much.

We have always come up with excuses that our people are inexperienced and handicapped and therefore we need a head start and special assistance to succeed. But we fail to realise that the world does not owe us a living. When are we going to earn our own upkeep?

In the course of many years, the crutch mentality has crystallised and become pervasive. It has become the biggest contributor to laziness, lack of professionalism, incompetence, condonation, bailout, and unfettered sense of entitlement. Today, it is the single biggest factor that causes the gradual loss of dynamism and competitiveness of our country.

We tell our people to be independent, honest, hardworking, and resourceful but the reality we see on the ground is very different. We see easy money and unfettered support and bailout of our imprudent actions.

In the name of creating a more equitable society, we have unwittingly promoted a work culture that is totally not in sync with the spirit of competition and self-reliance.

I find it contradictory to talk about hard work, trustworthiness and knowledge on one hand, but then go on to reward laziness, incompetence and dishonesty on the other.

We must be utterly biased or dense not to see the inherent contradictions prevailing in our society today. We urge, plead, beg and scold our people to work hard and to be independent, but sadly this is just a farce. The reality is we protect, pamper, spoil and shelter them without end.