Perdana Discourse Series

Malaysia is a nation in which multi-ethnicity thrive in spite of differences of religion and culture. The tensions underlying this unity, however, are real and present ongoing challenges to the country's leadership in maintaining peace and harmony in this country. How has Malaysia remained unscathed by racial violence that plague other multi-ethnic nations, even while achieving exemplary growth rates since its Independence in 1957?  In this monograph, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia, speaks on the policies that the country's leaders have pursued in balancing the needs of the different communities as well as the risks and challenges that remain, particularly on the part of the majority ethnic community, the Malays. His speech is followed by a panel session in which Professor Emeritus Tan Sri Dr. Khoo Kay Kim, of Universiti Malaya, Dr. KJ John, former Vice President (Strategic Interventions) of MIMOS Berhad, Col (R) Professor Dato' Dr. Kamarudin Kachar, Chairman and Chief Consultant of Prished Consultants International, Kuala Lumpur, Ms Siti Salwa, student representative of Northern Malaysia University College of Engineering, and Mr. Saiful Azhar, Universiti Teknologi MARA Student Council Head, comment on the points he raised as well as on the topic itself. This monograph contains the summary of the keynote address and panel session, and is useful reference for researchers of Malaysian history and politics. The Perdana Discourse Series was jointly organised by Perdana Leadership Foundation, an independent research and archive institution dedicated to Malaysia's Prime Ministers, and Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), the biggest public university in Malaysia.

This slim volume features the keynote address of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia, on the topic of education and how it is necessary for national progress. Tun briefly explains how education evolved into the formal system we know today, and how a focus on academic achievements has produced bright graduates lacking in moral compass.  The speech was delivered at the third Perdana Discourse Series in 2005. 

This slim volume features the keynote address of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the fourth and seventh Prime Minister of Malaysia, on the topic of "re-engineering" Malaysian society to minimise inter-ethnic distrust and fear, so that Malaysia would become a truly united Malaysian nation. Tun briefly explains how social re-engineering is not so much an outcome by design but a gradual process facilitated by public policy. He dwells on the question that plagues many Malaysians still, 61 years after Independence, "Who is a Malaysian?". He also touches on the importance of value systems and its impact on character.   The speech was delivered at the second Perdana Discourse Series in 2005, and remains relevant today when the subject of race, national unity, and national identity still colour debates and discussions in Malaysia. 

Before Malaya's independence in 1957, the British segregated the Malays from the non-Malays for the British administration's own political and economic benefits, the outcome of which was a lack of inter-ethnic interaction and harmony. The communities were driven further apart by ethnic-specific economic activities (in broad terms, the Chinese in business, the Malays in agriculture, and the Indians in the rubber estates), religion, culture, political affiliation (in the pre-independence and early post-independence years, the Chinese and Indians had closer political affinities to their homelands than to Malaya), and income levels. All these were ingredients for ethnic violence and unrest. Yet, Malaya, then Malaysia, has remained stable and peaceful, and has managed to prosper over the years. What were the policies that have enabled Malaysia to achieve political stability? This was the focus of the fourth Perdana Discourse Series. In this monograph are transcripts of the keynote address of the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, who explains thow multi-ethnic Malaysia achieved political stability through affirmative action. His speech is followed by presentations by former Transport Minister, Tun Dr. Ling Liiong Sik, academician Professor Dr. Faridah Hassan, youth political representative Ms Ismalina Ismail, and youth representative Mr. Logandran Balavijendran. Summaries of the findings of the student breakout sessions are also included. The Perdana Discourse Series was jointly organised by Perdana Leadership Foundation, an independent research and archive institution dedicated to Malaysia's Prime Ministers, and Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), the biggest public university in Malaysia.  This 80-page monograph is a useful reference and introduction to Malaysia's race-based affirmative action policies.

From the time of independence, Malaysia has sought to strengthen its international presence, and has positioned itself by focusing on areas such as international trade, globalisation's impact on developing economies, and development policies. Currently, Malaysia is one of the world's most globalised economies, with its trade 1.3 times greater than its gross domestic product. Her export-led economic growth is made possible through attractive foreign investment policies accelerated by the open markets that sprung from the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the World Trade Organisation (WTO). As a developing country, Malaysia attaches high priority to the security and stability of South East Asia, expressed through Malaysia's active membership in the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean). Malaysia is also a member of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). The challenge for Malaysia is to continue on its growth path while balancing national needs against growing globalisation and regionalism. In this monograph, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia, speaks on the evolution of Malaysia's foreign policies, from its pro-Western post-independence stance to its present decisively non-aligned position. He talks also of Malaysia's initiatives in fostering friendships among poorer, developing nations, and how that has returned dividends to Malaysia.  His speech is followed by a panel session in which discussants Dato' Harun Siraj, Dr Azman Awang, Dr Zulaiha Ismail, and Mr Mohd Rafa'ei Mohd Tahir commented on the keynote speech, and offered their own perspectives on the topic. The session was moderated by Universiti Teknologi MARA's Assistant Vice Chancellor, Associate Professor Dr Mustaffa Mohamed Zain.  A useful reference for readers keen to know more about Malaysia's foreign policies, from 1957 to 2003, this publication contains transcripts of the keynote address, panel session as well as summaries of the group discussions.  The Perdana Discourse Series was jointly organised by Perdana Leadership Foundation, an independent research and archive institution dedicated to Malaysia's Prime Ministers, and Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), the biggest public university in Malaysia.

The relationship between the media and government, and its influence on democracy and national development are non-separable. In the 21st century, with the emergence of modern nation states, media is also essential aid to development, becoming an important channel for good governance and transparency.  
In Malaysia, the mainstream press faces stringent political, legal, and economic controls, and is constantly balancing between national and commercial interests. Nevertheless, the mainstream press in Malaysia has gone through a major evolution, beginning in the early 1980s, coinciding with the period in which Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad became the Prime Minister. This trend extended into the 1990s.  This publication is a transcript of the sixth Perdana Discourse Series which took place on 18th April 2007, in which the role of the media - including that of bloggers - in national development was discussed at length. Malaysia's fourth Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad delivered the keynote address in which he explained the government view of the press, and why controls were regarded as necessary. He addressed concerns on media freedom, responsibility, transparency, and objectivity.  His keynote address was followed by a moderated discussion chaired by Professor Dr Faridah Hassan of UiTM. The discussants were Dato' A. Kadir Jasin (Editor -In-Chief of Berita Publishing Sdn Bhd), Mr Steven Gan (founder and editor of Malaysiakini), Mr Jeff Ooi (blogger cum columnist and Protem Vice President of National Alliance of Bloggers) and Dr Kamalan Jevaratnam (student representative from International Medical University). This publication is a useful reference for readers who are keen to know more about the press in Malaysia, the developmental role it plays, and the rise of new media such as blogs.  The Perdana Discourse Series was jointly organised by Perdana Leadership Foundation, an independent research and archive institution dedicated to Malaysia's Prime Ministers, and Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), the biggest public university in Malaysia.

The Federal Constitution of Malaysia divides the authority of the Federation into the executive, the legislative, and the judiciary. These three arms of government provide the basis on which democracy is practised, which is through the separation of powers, with checks and balances. In practice, however, the lines between the branches of government may not be as clear-cut. At the ninth Perdana Discourse Series, the fourth and longest-serving Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, explained the history of Malaysia's Westminster-model of governance, its unique elements, and the overlaps between the different power jurisdictions. Mixing history, real-life examples, and hard opinions, Tun Dr Mahathir's keynote address shines a light on some of the grey areas of the subject, and provides insights that can only come from decades of leadership experience. This publication presents the edited transcript of the keynote address as well as question and answer session, and is a must-have addition for bookshelves on Malaysian politics and political history.

Sovereignty is a notion which has come to dominate our understanding of national and international affairs. Its history parallels the evolution of the modem state. However, today, when nations are very much dependent on each other, the idea of national sovereignty has acquired a different meaning. In recent years, questions have been raised as to the continuing significance of the state, the concept of which appears to be challenged and threatened by the impact of globalisation, technological changes, societal restructuring, neo-colonialism and ecological crises, among others. Questions raised include the relevance of national sovereignty in modern society, and its expression in terms of present-day politics. This publication contains the proceedings of the seventh Perdana Discourse Series organised in 2008 in Putrajaya, Malaysia. At the Discourse, the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia, His Excellency Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, dissects the meaning of national sovereignty in relation to Malaysia and how it weighs on policy decisions. He combines history and geo-politics with current issues to impart a leader's view of national sovereignty. His keynote address is commented on by Law Professor, Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi, former Cabinet Minister Tan Sri Sanusi Junid, and student representative Ms Nurul Ikhlas. This publication is essential reading to students and researchers of Malaysian history, leadership, and politics.

The notion of Bangsa Malaysia was introduced in 1991 by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the country's fourth Prime Minister, as part of his Vision 2020, to bring about greater integration among the various ethnic groups within the country. The idea was to create an inclusive national identity for all inhabitants of Malaysia, thus abandoning the National Culture Policy that asserted a Malay ethnic national identity. However, Bangsa Malaysia has generated a multitude of reactions. Some felt that the concept is similar to the concept of 'Malaysian Malaysia' that was proposed by Lee Kuan Yew when Singapore was still part of Malaysia. Some worry that Bangsa Malaysia will dilute the position held by the Malays. Others, however, are more positive to the idea, as it means acknowledgment of the ethnicities as partners of equal class in building a nation. Even so, questions with regard to language, culture, and religion persist. In this discourse, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad himself explains the motive and meaning of Bangsa Malaysia, especially in the context of the country's overall development. His keynote address is followed by a panel discussion in which Professor Datuk Dr Shamsul Amri, Dr Chandra Muzaffar, Dr KJ John, and Mr Alvin Goh, lend their views on the topic and attempt to answer the big question: is Bangsa Malaysia the much-needed solution to the problem of national unity in Malaysia? This volume includes also research papers on national unity by Dr Ariffin Omar, Dr DS Ranjit Singh, and Dr K Nadaraja.

There is a widely held adage that young men are the nation's hope and young women the nation's pillar. To this effect, the government has established various nation-building programmes and policies to encourage the involvement of women and youth. The fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, discusses "The Role of Women and Youth in National Development" at the tenth Perdana Discourse Series. His speech touches on the importance of involving women in a nation's economy (even that of a Muslim nation), the gender imbalances in universities, the problems of youth, and the challenges faced by today's busy families. Drawing on his own experience, as well as elaborating on the concerns of government, Tun Dr Mahathir delivers a frank and personal take on the subject of women and youth.

Youth are the hope and future of a nation. As future leaders, they need to be well educated to keep pace with the rapid technological changes taking place in the world while preserving the good values of society. Recognising the importance of education in leadership preparation, the eleventh Perdana Discourse Series was held on 30th June 2010, with the theme, The Role of Education in Leadership Development'.  The keynote address was delivered by His Excellency Tan Sri Muhyiddin Hj Mohd Yassin, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, who spoke on how to create knowledgeable and wise leaders of tomorrow through education. The keynote address is included in its entirety, as is the question and answer session that followed.  The discourse further continued in a panel session where eminent panellists Tun Arshad Ayob, Dato' Freida Mohd Pilus, and Professor Dato' Dr Ahmad Murad Noor Merican, presented their views on education and leadership and answered questions on learning from members of the audience. The edited transcripts of both the panel and Q&A sessions are contained within this book, making this volume a good reference to the views and opinions of Malaysian leaders in government and academia. 

Malaysia today faces internal and external obstacles in its drive to become a fully developed economy where prosperity is shared by all. What are these impediments and how can they be overcome? Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, Malaysia's longest-serving Minister of International Trade and Industry (1987 to 2008), and a member of the Economic Action Council, speaks eloquently on the subject at the 21st Perdana Discourse Series, sharing her views on the definition of economic progress, and elaborating on the hurdles standing in its way for Malaysia. She also outlines what she feels is key to Malaysia's advancement towards becoming a fully developed and truly united nation. Following Tan Sri Rafidah's keynote address, panellists Professor Dr Yeah Kim Leng, Director, Economic Studies Programme, Jefrrey Cheah Institute on Southeast Asia, Sunway University, and Ms Shahnaz Al-Sadat Abdul Mohsein of arise Asia, commented on the key points with added insights based on research and experience. This publication contains the entire proceeding of the discourse, including the Question and Answer sessions, and is useful supplementary reading for those who are interested in the subject of Malaysia's economic development.