Malaysia In 1985: A Question of Management

Abstract

In any year the governance of Malaysia is a daunting task, complicated by an ethnically fragmented society, a federal system spanning the geographically distant East and West segments, and a ruling coalition of almost a dozen separate political parties. In addition, the national leadership must face such long-term challenges as promoting economic development and industrialization, implementing the New Economic Policy (NEP) with its ambitious goals of removing ethnically-based economic imbalances and eradicating poverty, and attempting to instil a sense of national identity in Malaysia's disparate ethnic groups. More immediate challenges have included sporadic acts of violence by communist insurgents, pressures engendered by the Islamic revival, serious tensions in the relationship between the constitutional monarchy and the executive, and demands from a growing middle class for increased participation in the political process. Whilst responding to such challenges, a Malaysian Prime Minister must also devote his energies to the internal affairs of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), the dominant component of the Barisan Nasional (BN), as well as to developments within the ruling coalition itself. At the same time he must be sensitive to the impact of opposition parties ? especially those seeking an Islamic appeal. In short, a successful Malaysian national leader must be endowed with considerable management skills in order to balance the formidable array of competing demands within Malaysian society. In 1985, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad faced a number of pressing issues and signalled his resolve to maintain a tighter rein on developments with a blunt message to those seeking to bring pressure on the government. In a speech published on New Year's Day he warned: