BANGI: The government must institutionalise Madani Economy with a need for an effective implementation to differentiate it from previous economic plans, according to Malaysian Inclusive Development and Advancement Institute, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (Minda-UKM) director Professor Tan Sri Noor Azlan Ghazali
“Generally, all these Madani Economy goals are aimed at taking the country forward. It is not an attempt to do something new ... (therefore) the challenge for Ekonomi Madani is to distinguish itself from other development documents.
“The way it can set itself apart is through implementation. I believe the entire nation, myself included as an economist, is waiting for effective implementation, as we have seen many economic plans before this one,” Noor Azlan said at a special media briefing on Madani Economy at UKM yesterday.
He proposed the establishment of a special task force to ensure a systematic implementation of the 10-year economic policy.
“Madani Economy requires united action. In my opinion, there needs to be a dedicated team for the plan. Based on our experience during the era of Datuk Seri Najib, there was a team collaborating with ministries under Pemandu. This team was given a mandate and authority to provide reports directly to the prime minister regarding the progress achieved.
“They collaboratively strategise with the government and ministries. They cooperated with the involved sectors, for example on how to enhance trade in order to regain our position as a leading economy in Asia,“ he said.
In a July 29 post on Facebook, Noor Azlan said nationwide commitment is essential for the success of Madani Economy.
“All parties must be clear and understand their roles and be ready to collectively propel this Madani Economy. Issues must be addressed promptly at the operational level. If there are roadblocks, they should be immediately brought to the prime minister’s attention. Together, we can free the country from being ‘trapped’. Let’s realise Madani Economy,” he said.
He said the country is “trapped” because it has not succeeded in executing what it has outlined.
“We are weak in implementation. The commitment to ensure that what has been outlined is executed systematically and orderly is crucial,” he said.
Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim launched “Madani Economy: Empowering the People’’ on July 27 to be achieved in the next 10 years.
The two main focuses of the framework are to restructure the economy to make Malaysia a leader among Asian economies and to ensure that the enlarged wealth benefits the rakyat equitably.
It has seven benchmarks, including transforming Malaysia into one of the top 30 largest economies in the world and placing the country in the top 12 of the Global Competitiveness Index.
The Madani Economy framework will serve as a foundation for other policies, such as the National Energy Transition Roadmap, New Industrial Masterplan 2030 and Mid-Term Review of the 12th Malaysia Plan.
