WHAT a way to end the year when we were supposed to achieve Vision 2020. Thirty years ago, we wished and planned to be a developed nation. We did not achieve it but don’t despair. We achieved a record – the highest in reported daily Covid-19 cases to date, 2,525 to be exact, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 113,010.

Malaysia is very good at planning, with excellent programmes and also good with policies, consistent and the cascading nature of plans from long- to medium- and to short-term. We had Vision 2020, Government Transformation Programme (GTP) and the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) apart from the normal five-year plans.

The GTP and ETP were expected to contribute in making the country a developed and high-income nation as per Vision 2020. It may have some successes but the main areas such as fighting corruption, raising living standards of low-income households, access to clean or treated water and addressing cost of living did not show improvements despite billions spent.

Example, modern policing was introduced and showed promise but the amount spent was high and the results temporary. Even the inspector-general of police expressed frustration over the alleged corrupt practices among police personnel.

But in 2007 we had the National Integrity Plan to fulfil the fourth challenge of Vision 2020 – to establish a fully moral and ethical society whose citizens are strong in religious and spiritual values and imbued with the highest ethical standards.

We also have the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025 to provide a clear direction for the country’s future education development. The targets were ambitious and the results achieved were mixed. For PISA, there were some improvements in 2018 compared to 2015. But for TIMMS there were drops between 2019 and 2015 and worse if compared to 1999. Then we had a new long-term vision, National Transformation 2050 but let’s not discuss it here.

The key to the success of all planning is in the implementation, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of such plans. Implementers must be provided with tools, techniques and clear guidelines. The government often fell short, including absence of clear definitions and targets and most of all, accountability and transparency.

Most programmes did not reach the targeted beneficiaries and those who did not need such assistance had benefited instead. What is needed now is a different political and policy environment and ecosystem that places more emphasis on results and citizen-centricity.

Effectiveness and efficiency must be included at an early stage. Politicians and directors-general have to be accountable and properly rewarded for excellent results. Currently, our politicians plan for short-term political gains and this is harmful for the long-term. Both sides of the political divide seem to be “dua kali lima” (2 X 5) and someone used to say, “11th Malaysia Plan, is it like 1Malaysia but times 11 ah?”

Granted, we can’t tell the future and there may be many factors beyond our control and don’t over-plan for it will wear folks out. We have heard, “Man proposes, but God disposes” and “Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves” (Quran 13:11).

What say you?

May we have a good year ahead. – January 2, 2021.

* Saleh Mohammed reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.