Dr Mahathir’s Vision 2020 didn’t focus on youth, says Khairy

Asila Jalil Asila Jalil Updated 8 years ago · Published on 9 Nov 2017 5:55PM · 2 Comments

Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin says today at a TN50 event that Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s Vision 2020 left out youth as it was too focused on industrialising the nation. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Nazir Sufari, November 9, 2017.

PUTRAJAYA’S Transformation National 2050 (TN50) agenda has a stronger focus on youth than Vision 2020, Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin told youngsters today.

Khairy said TN50’s agenda and approach were focused on youth, making it different from former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s push to make Malaysia an industrialised nation by 2020.

The Umno Youth chief said no one had asked young people about their long-term aspirations for the country in the long run when Vision 2020 was crafted.

“I remember in 1991, when the government came up with Vision 2020, nobody asked me what I wanted. I was a young person in Malaysia then, nobody came to see me. The youth and sports minister at that time didn’t come and see me.

“We really believe the era where the government, policymakers, civil servants know best is really over.

“We need to crowdsource the future from Malaysians and I think this is the best part about TN50, is that the future is being crowdsourced,” he said at a TN50 dialogue session with youth in Kuala Lumpur.

But Khairy also told the crowd of 600 that TN50 was not meant to replace Vision 2020 and should instead be seen as a continuation of Dr Mahathir’s legacy.

TN50 is meant to ensure Malaysia’s holistic development for the next three decades, he said.

“We must show you we are able to exercise a bit of foresight in the next three decades and that is where TN50 comes about.

“It (TN50) is not to replace Vision 2020, it’s not to erase a legacy but rather I see it as a continuum.”

TN50 is Putrajaya’s 30-year transformation plan for the country and announced by Prime Minister Najib Razak when he tabled Budget 2017 last October.

Vision 2020 was introduced by Dr Mahathir during the tabling of the Sixth Malaysia Plan in 1991 with the aim of achieving a self-sufficient industrialised nation by 2020.

Khairy repeated throughout the dialogue that he was “a child of Vision 2020”, adding that it had been more focused on economic, physical and material development but did not highlight environment protection, sustainable development, the arts and also sports.

Vision 2020 outlined the nine strategic challenges that the country must overcome to achieve the vision – establishing a united Bangsa Malaysia, creating a secure and developed society, developing a mature democratic society, establishing an ethical society, establishing a scientific society, establishing a caring society, ensuring an economically just society and establishing a competitive economy.

Dr Mahathir was prime minister for 22 years until 2003 and is now leading the opposition after disagreeing with Prime Minister Najib Razak’s policies and alleged corruption.

Dr Mahathir has said the TN50 agenda is an admission that the federal government is unable to achieve Vision 2020. 

He said the new agenda which to be achieved by 2050 was “so far ahead” that most Malaysians “would be gone” by the time the year arrived. – November 9, 2017.

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Comments

  • The Vision 2020 project was doomed from the start ..... and its all due to the Tun (and he is fond of blaming others and NEVER accept responsibilities!). Instead of a "free economy" based on meritocracy, level playing field, equal opportunity, etc, it (like the NEP) tried to "manage" the economy on racial discrimination, quota, lopsided contracts, etc resulting in huge loses of money from taxpayers, Petronas, BNM, Kazanah, EPF, etc. but NOTHING achieved. For example, he tried to manufacture a coterie of cronies "bumiputera billionaires" who ALL failed but yet amassed immense wealth for themselves ...... kill off the automobile industry to save Proton (MM is known as the "father of THAILAND auto industry" because auto makers "cabut" from Malaysia to set up shop in Thailand) .......turned the Multimedia Super Corridor from a high tech concept to become a Cyberjaya property development project giving rise to Bangalore, India to become a tech power house. There were more ...... TN50 is similar and IMO will fail. We will lag behind further and further other Asean and world economies ..... all because we DO NOT practice a "free economy" based on meritocracy, equal opportunities, etc ...



    Posted 8 years ago by Malaysian First · Reply

  • Most of the 60s, 70s and early 80s gen live tru out the Vision 2020. Malaysia was looking East and privitation is the way forward then. Youth were pampered with overseas scholarship unlike today (local breed), employment opportunity both wgite and blue collar are massive, Malay becoming rich! Young Malays becoming successful entrepeneurs, educationist, and even winnable sportsmen. But now, nothing close. Malay becoming poorer, sidelined from sports, corrupted, scape goat for every mess. We live, sleep and breath in Malaysia, in kampungs, not like u. Malay culture are ruined, Islam is misperceived by all. What do u do as a Muslim? What are the leaders in power today are doing? Keeping quiet, dont bother, and just keeping silence to save yourself. Unacceptable Vision 2020 fails and never gave youth any chances. Blunt lies. Ordinary Malaysians are still living the 2020 dreams. Change will come...soon.

    Posted 8 years ago by 70s Kid · Reply