THE achievements of our Malaysian heroes and heroines at the 2016 Rio Olympics have inspired me to write this piece in the hope that it will galvanise fellow Malaysians to think hard about our country's future and direction.
The grit, determination, courage and desire to win medals for our country are exemplary. Malaysians came together as a nation, cheering and applauding the feats of our warriors throughout the games.
We were all proud Malaysians. Everyone, irrespective of race or religion, rejoiced and encouraged our team as they fought relentlessly just to hear our national anthem for the very first time at the Olympics.
They may not have won the gold but they won handsomely in our hearts and minds. This letter is a product of their achievements.
Several years ago, I was invited to talk on "crisis management" to senior civil servants attending the Pre-Jusa courses at Intan, Bukit Kiara.
The organisers wanted me to share my experience in handing the SARS outbreak which occurred in 2003. During question time, I was asked what I would do if I were to become prime minister of Malaysia.
Without much hesitation, I told them I would do five things immediately. These included tightening our national security, introducing a vibrant educational policy, injecting more funds for health, revamping our public transport system and redefining our civil service.
Let me expand on the five areas. Security here includes ensuring all Malaysians, both from rural and urban areas, enjoy the basic human necessities (sufficient food, clean water and reliable electricity services) so that they not only feel safe but cared for as well.
So it is not just having more police officers or army personnel. Education is important as a dynamic policy on education will contribute to the maturity and intellectual prowess of our students and provide them with opportunities to get attractive jobs.
Making English a second language is a critical and necessary requirement to achieve this.
The government should stop pandering to those with questionable agendas and do what is right for the country so that future generation of Malaysians will not suffer or feel inadequate as a result of our leaders' reluctance to arm them with sufficient skills to be articulate and creative in a ruthlessly competitive global environment.
Our health system has achieved impressive milestones. But if funding for health is inadequate, the happy stories will turn into gruesome ones.
Healthcare reforms to grapple challenges are still being discussed.
Meantime, when we ask why hospitals are run down or equipment are faulty or drugs are inadequate, the answer will always be "Government has no money".
That may be so but as long as we do not have a healthcare financing package, the government has little choice but to provide more for health.
Another consideration is an efficient and reliable public transport system.
Short-term and punitive measures backed by some erratic justification are not readily acceptable. Pushing up parking fees only serve to raise the ire of affected residents.
A new transport system can work if consideration is given to the needs of consumers. It must be punctual and managed by knowledgeable, courteous and caring personnel.
Many of us would prefer using public transport instead of weaving through unpredictable traffic for work or appointments if we are assured that it is dependable.
Ample parking space must be provided for those who wish to park their cars and ride the trains.
Redefining the public service would be another extremely important agenda on my plate.
Only those who sincerely wish to serve the public should be employed on the long-term. Those suffering from apathy should be duly warned and dismissed if remedy does not help.
Make us feel good after walking out of the public offices. We may not get what we are hoping for but a clear explanation of the reasons for rejection will help soothe our nerves.
Other important elements that are critical to ensure success are good governance, accountability, transparency and integrity.
The rakyat must feel they are Malaysians all the time, not just during sporting events. Only then can we dream of a better Malaysia.
Tan Sri Dr Mohamed Ismail Merican
Kuala Lumpur
The grit, determination, courage and desire to win medals for our country are exemplary. Malaysians came together as a nation, cheering and applauding the feats of our warriors throughout the games.
We were all proud Malaysians. Everyone, irrespective of race or religion, rejoiced and encouraged our team as they fought relentlessly just to hear our national anthem for the very first time at the Olympics.
They may not have won the gold but they won handsomely in our hearts and minds. This letter is a product of their achievements.
Several years ago, I was invited to talk on "crisis management" to senior civil servants attending the Pre-Jusa courses at Intan, Bukit Kiara.
The organisers wanted me to share my experience in handing the SARS outbreak which occurred in 2003. During question time, I was asked what I would do if I were to become prime minister of Malaysia.
Without much hesitation, I told them I would do five things immediately. These included tightening our national security, introducing a vibrant educational policy, injecting more funds for health, revamping our public transport system and redefining our civil service.
Let me expand on the five areas. Security here includes ensuring all Malaysians, both from rural and urban areas, enjoy the basic human necessities (sufficient food, clean water and reliable electricity services) so that they not only feel safe but cared for as well.
So it is not just having more police officers or army personnel. Education is important as a dynamic policy on education will contribute to the maturity and intellectual prowess of our students and provide them with opportunities to get attractive jobs.
Making English a second language is a critical and necessary requirement to achieve this.
The government should stop pandering to those with questionable agendas and do what is right for the country so that future generation of Malaysians will not suffer or feel inadequate as a result of our leaders' reluctance to arm them with sufficient skills to be articulate and creative in a ruthlessly competitive global environment.
Our health system has achieved impressive milestones. But if funding for health is inadequate, the happy stories will turn into gruesome ones.
Healthcare reforms to grapple challenges are still being discussed.
Meantime, when we ask why hospitals are run down or equipment are faulty or drugs are inadequate, the answer will always be "Government has no money".
That may be so but as long as we do not have a healthcare financing package, the government has little choice but to provide more for health.
Another consideration is an efficient and reliable public transport system.
Short-term and punitive measures backed by some erratic justification are not readily acceptable. Pushing up parking fees only serve to raise the ire of affected residents.
A new transport system can work if consideration is given to the needs of consumers. It must be punctual and managed by knowledgeable, courteous and caring personnel.
Many of us would prefer using public transport instead of weaving through unpredictable traffic for work or appointments if we are assured that it is dependable.
Ample parking space must be provided for those who wish to park their cars and ride the trains.
Redefining the public service would be another extremely important agenda on my plate.
Only those who sincerely wish to serve the public should be employed on the long-term. Those suffering from apathy should be duly warned and dismissed if remedy does not help.
Make us feel good after walking out of the public offices. We may not get what we are hoping for but a clear explanation of the reasons for rejection will help soothe our nerves.
Other important elements that are critical to ensure success are good governance, accountability, transparency and integrity.
The rakyat must feel they are Malaysians all the time, not just during sporting events. Only then can we dream of a better Malaysia.
Tan Sri Dr Mohamed Ismail Merican
Kuala Lumpur