By Debbie Loh
May 11, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

MAY 11 — Several weeks ago, I had the opportunity to meet briefly with a Singaporean actively involved in the property and construction sector of his country and beyond. After a short discourse of the weather and the odd traffic jams in Singapore, I managed to pose a question, point blank:

“Sir, what do you think of the Iskandar Development Region? Do you think it will turn out to what it is touted to be? A smaller version of Shenzhen?”

To which he answered: “No I don’t think so. We’re not very interested.”

I wasn’t surprised by that statement. The heralding of Iskandar Development Region as a strong and formidable economic region began about four years ago — with the Iskandar Regional Development Authority formalised as a statutory body in 2007.

Since then, endless seminars, conferences and tours were held to study this area measuring 221,634ha and having five “flagship zones”, each as different regions of development.

This masterplan was touted to have the propensity to match the Klang Valley as a vibrant, world-class metropolis — at least for the Asean region.

The prime minister threw in tax incentives bait in 2010 for selected knowledge workers migrating to IDR between October 24, 2009 and December 31, 2015.

Officials from IRDA and IIB hoped on Singaporeans to breathe life into the plans.

Being someone with almost daily discourses on property development, I half expected a long answer about availability of amenities, security issues, liveability, a sizeable and sustainable market for local commerce and so on.

But the reply I received sent a ripple of chills down my spine (serious).

“It is the political climate in Malaysia that holds us back.”

Hearing an outsider comment on such a “private” matter that only Malaysians whine about was strangely alarming to me, for several weeks before this conversation, I discussed the dire situation in Sarawak with a fellow-rakyat who watches it happen.

Our nation has been rocked again and again by politics and untoward statements made by the administration and its apparent or non-apparent affiliates. Ironically, they are the ones that create unrest and alarm among the rakyat.

How have these statements alleviated suspicion and mistrust? How have they forged unity especially when some don’t even desire it?

The rakyat — who only wish to be able to live freely, earn a living, raise a family in a stable environment conducive for advancement, be able to choose the different opportunities open to them — can only watch helplessly and try to understand everything in the context of a Constitution that their leaders don’t really care to regard.

Hang on, the whole purpose of the country’s leaders is to uphold the Constitution, isn’t it?

Almost two years ago, when the Economic Transformation Programme was launched, the administration was acquiescing with the private sector that a clear and dependable rule of law was crucial to economic prosperity.

This was highlighted again and again by dignitaries such as Datuk Francis Yeoh and Tan Sri Ramon Ravaratnam. How has this come through today?

How can policies — statements and plans not even enshrined in any legislative instrument — take form when even the crucial elements are being disputed and unheeded?

As these uncalled-for controversies continue, the racial divide only continues to deepen, the younger generation’s patriotic bravado (yes, born-pendatangs have the propensity to have that) crumbles to alarm and hurt as their older generation that have remained watch and sympathise.

And the next wave of migrants out of the country begins to chart their course of exit. So much for Talent Corporation and the rest of the GTP, ETP, NKEA, PPP, BO, EPP, ETC.

And so the nation’s news continues to wallow in sensational, seditious statements about how Christians want to make Malaysia a Christian nation, how such and such a video was of a certain politician (or not) – while inflation continues to creep up, our school history books are being maimed and filled with lies, low salaries perpetuate, the average salary remains uncompetitive, investors are turned away and the hope for the economy — skilled, knowledge Malaysian workers leave the country.

Maybe we should really consider leaving. Even if this was said in the tone of a threat, they wouldn’t care anyway — it’s probably what they wanted all along.