Silver sorrow, but heart of gold — Bernard Goh Teck Yang

AUG 22 — China’s Chen Long crumpled to the ground, not in agony (as most Malaysians might have hoped) but in absolute ecstasy. Overwhelmed with emotion, Chen Long’s face was a tapestry of joy and disbelief. His first Olympic gold must have felt like his wedding night kiss, the first of many to come.

Ominously, the camera pans to Datuk Lee Chong Wei registering another form of disbelief. His whole body sags with a different kind of emotion, the despair and sorrow of an entire nation, his alone to bear at that tragic moment.

Shoulders slumped, his eyes water and swell up. His visage sullen and resolute, determined to weather this Olympic storm.

But, here and there one sees flickers of disappointment and pain dancing as he tries his best to stay composed. In this moment, Malaysia’s last hope for gold fades away.

I would argue Chong Wei’s tale personifies Malaysia: immense potential, and a lot of heart trying his utmost best to avoid a familiar disappointment. His story is as much Malaysia’s as his pain is Malaysia’s pain.

This coming Merdeka (Independence Day) marks 59 years of independence for Malaya, and 53 years for the Federation.

Immediately after independence, Malaysia was among the most destitute of countries, with its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) comparable to Haiti and Honduras.

Now, if International Monetary Fund (IMF) GDP estimates are to be believed, Malaysia is on course to be three places above Singapore and two places below Hong Kong; according to World Bank statistics, Malaysia’s GDP grew by a staggering median of 6.5 per cent per annum from the 1957, our year of independence, to 2005.

As the ‘tiger’ of Asia under Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad’s tumultuous but otherwise economically prosperous rule, Malaysia enjoyed unprecedented, sustained economic growth, averaging close to 8 per cent every year from the 1980s to the mid-1990s.

Regardless of the way one looks at the numbers, Malaysia has come a long way since its early years. From war-torn colonial outpost, to vibrant economic powerhouse in the short span of half a decade. A lot has been achieved, but the patriotically informed observer (hereafter ‘the observer’) can’t help but compare Malaysia to another one of Asia’s more remarkable success stories just across the causeway, Singapore.

In many ways, Singapore represents what Malaysia should have been and would never be. When we speak about Malaysia’s achievements, a familiar feeling of disappointment creeps in. Ours is a remorseful feeling of opportunities wasted; of talent spurned and settling for silver.

Searching beyond the twin-towers of success, the observer finds a disturbing truth: the unrealized potential of a once-great economic powerhouse and the tectonic forces threatening to unravel it all.

Before we talk about challenges at present and moving forward, the ghosts of Merdeka past must be exorcised: Malaysia as a country has spurned its once great momentum due to numerous factors, but I shall attempt to narrow down to just one: mentality.

Malaysia is a nation blessed with immense natural resources, cultural diversity, relative refuge from environmental catastrophe and political unrest.

And with all these blessings, we have taken them for granted, grown comfortable and complacent.

The famous Malaysian ‘Tidak Apa’ (nonchalant) attitude has consented in the degradation and regression of our once-outstanding education system. We, the people, have allowed for and tolerated the endless political decisions in shaping education policy.

Consider the decision to flip-flop between teaching science and math in English or Malay, which undoubtedly caused incredible structural stress as quality teaching material is made irrelevant by virtue of language. Another example is the hastily and poorly implemented PT3 lower-secondary examinations. A whole generation of students that were taught to think and learn in a certain way were suddenly forced to think and learn in a completely different one, in the span of three years.

Obviously, there is a huge disconnect between policy and implementation. It is often said that complacency exists in the middle ground, between intention and action.

However, there is reason to believe the landscape changing. Hit hard by falling global oil prices, the repercussions of two generations of brain drain as well as a half century of private and public mismanagement, the Malaysian tiger may yet be finally showing its teeth.

Our economy is transitioning into a service economy, with the ‘Malaysia Boleh’ spirit driving our push into the startup sphere and Islamic finance.

Malaysia currently has the largest slice of the global Islamic banking pie and vibrant Malaysian startups like Grab are taking huge strides to regional dominance.

As last year’s Asean chairman, Malaysia successfully shepherded efforts to establish the Asean Economic Community, which promises to strengthen regional integration and trade through four main pillars: Single Market & Production Base, Competitive Economic Region, Equitable Economic Development and Integration into the Global Economy.

In terms of further market liberalization, the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) – which Malaysia is a signatory – is set to introduce further competition, fostering a more dynamic Malaysian economy that remains an attractive location for investments even as it provides leverage for in future trade negotiations, including the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) with China.

Furthermore, renewed patriotism (especially amongst young Malaysians) as well as efforts by the government, are welcomed policies in the effort to reduce the brain drain issue. Notable examples include hugely positive reception and nostalgia garnered by movies like ‘Ola-bola’, as well as government initiatives like ‘TalentCorp’ and the ‘Perdana Fellowship’.

Finally, the people are more empowered than ever before: previously, the private and public sector often made decisions with the best interest of the people at heart but would not bother to take into account the views of the people.

Now, both sectors are finally respecting our opinions and concerns (within reason).

Examples that immediately come to mind include the recent move to ‘legalize’ Uber and Grab, as well as the decision by the Communications and Multimedia Minister to open up the Malaysia Film Festival’s Best Picture category to all films, regardless of language. 

In Malaysia, the observer notes that the people are exceptionally resilient and indomitably optimistic. Even though the landscape seems bleak with the significant elephants in the room – most notably our sluggish economy ahead of Wawasan 2020, there remains reason for hope.

Change is happening at all levels of society, from the people up to the upper echelons of power. And, the most meaningful change is gradual: It takes time and commitment to make sure that our advancements are solid.

Change in the Malaysian context is a bit like Chong Wei: no matter how many times we might fail to make gold, we try.

We will try to make the grade, to move past corruption and complacency. We will try to make gold. As our nation moves towards the year 2020, the promise that we embodied the many decades ago might finally be fulfilled.

As we aim for gold come Wawasan 2020, there remains the possibility Chong Wei might do the same at Tokyo 2020.

As unlikely as both might seem today, this observer certainly remains hopeful—as do all who stand below the Jalur Gemilang.

Silver today, gold tomorrow.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail Online.