Lessons from Malaysia
Tuesday, 21 April 2009
Syed Masroor Hussain Shah, Ph.D
LIFE and learning have an inseparable relationship. All living beings have to learn how to live. Humans as thinking beings have to keep the window of their mind open to see, observe, learn and apply. Much of learning comes through travel and seeing new places because when one travels from one place to another -- either city or country -- one is exposed to new cultures, peoples, societies, politico-socio economic systems and so on.
"Knowing is not enough; we must apply", said Goethe. The application of learning for common benefit is the real purpose of learning. The purpose of this article is to share with the readers, what I observed and learnt from my recent visit to Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia.
Excursion to Malaysia with my family was an opportunity to learn. The vision of one person, Dr. Mahathir Mohammad, the former Premier of Malaysia, was visible everywhere. Everyone said that Mahathir was behind this miraculous growth and progress. A visionary, Mahathir made Malaysia an economic tiger. Lee Kuan Yew, the legendary Singaporean leader said that "preferring national interest over self interest" was the secret of Singapore's development.
Discipline, organisation, decorum and a well-knit system were visible everywhere in Kuala Lumpur. "Petronas Twin-Towers," the world's tallest building was visible from the hotel room. It speaks of Malaysia's prestige and progress. A seven-minute presentation, while entering its 41st floor explained the grand plan of Malaysian government and the petroleum giant -- Petronas. Only visionary leadership can accomplish what Malaysia achieved in a life time.
The visit to "Putrajaya" was another eye opener. There, one could see a combination of modernity and development. Official buildings, including the glorious premier's office, have been built there. A one-hour journey to Putrajaya provides an opportunity to see nature's beauty couched on the lap of human efforts. The cab driver, abreast with the development achievements of Malaysia, narrated the Malaysian story in good English.
A visit to "The Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia" can be an inspiring experience. A gallery shows the photographs of less known but active Muslim men and women. It also shows those who embraced Islam in different countries around the globe. The gallery speaks of the achievements they made for the cause of Islam. The two hours in the museum provided enough inspiration for establishing an "Islamic Development Institute" in my hometown in Mansehra (NWFP) -- Pakistan. Something like this already is under construction built there. The gallery shows immaculate models of mosques and religious places around the world.
At the Islamic Arts Museum of Malaysia, one can get "The Road to Makkah," the autobiography of M. Asad, an Austrian Jew, who embraced Islam after seeing Muslims in the Arabian Peninsula in the beginning of the 20th century. Asad's autobiography shows what is commitment, perseverance, faith, consistency, struggle and what Islam teaches about this world and hereafter.
A meeting with the scholars -- Syed Azmin Syed Noor, Syed Mokhtar Albukhary and Syed Mohamad Albukhary and their team -- would remain memorable. Syed Azmin was generous to give two books on the history of Muslim civilisation. The two volumes depict symbols and reprints of manuscripts of the Holy Quran. The children felt happy to know about the Muslim civilisation from the models, symbols and rare manuscripts of the Holy Quran. Syed Azmin also narrated how they built the Albukhary Mosque and Albukhary University in Kuala Lumpur. It is worth having such institutions in my hometown "Mansehra". A planned visit to Alor Stor, family hometown of Syed Azmin, to meet his family members did not take place due to sudden and tragic death of his cousin.
Umpteen theme parks including Sunway Lagoon, Genting Highlands and Aquaria etc., reflect the progress achieved by Malaysia. One can hardly find a Malaysian to speak in negative terms about the country, its people and the leadership.
In multi-cultural Malaysia, people have great civic sense. In Kuala Lumpur, nobody blows horns. My wife, Qurratul Ain, and our children Syeda Zainab and Syed Asher, particularly noticed this phenomenon. It was a happy experience to notice the children's keen observation of this civilised conduct in Malaysia. Syeda Anusha, the youngest kid, could notice this was indeed something.
Courtesy, politeness and good manners are common characteristics of Malaysias. I did not let my children throw chocolate wrappers on the road, which was so clean. Good civic sense was contagious. It was astonishing to know that around 45 per cent of Malaysia's annual national revenue comes from tourism. One cannot avoid noticing the efficiency with which Malaysia handles its tourism industry.
It is the Malaysian story of how it became an economic tiger in a short span of time. The lessons to learn are: the vision of one person can change the destiny of a nation.
Malaysia has shown what can be achieved by selfless and devoted leadership and a committed nation.
"Preferring national interest over self interest" was the fundamental philosophy of Malaysian success.
With hard work, they built "The Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia", which stands as an icon of Islamic civilisations.
Every land is fertile, it is the tiller that makes the difference. Someone will leave the land to become barren and wait for the miracle. The other will till the land for common benefit. Malaysians belong to the second category.
Marcel Proust, the French novelist, aptly said, "the real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new lands, but in seeing with new eyes."
(The writer, head of Human Resourcers (HR) in Warid Telecom International Limited, Dhaka-Bangladesh, can be accessed on email: masroorh.shah@gmail.com)
LIFE and learning have an inseparable relationship. All living beings have to learn how to live. Humans as thinking beings have to keep the window of their mind open to see, observe, learn and apply. Much of learning comes through travel and seeing new places because when one travels from one place to another -- either city or country -- one is exposed to new cultures, peoples, societies, politico-socio economic systems and so on.
"Knowing is not enough; we must apply", said Goethe. The application of learning for common benefit is the real purpose of learning. The purpose of this article is to share with the readers, what I observed and learnt from my recent visit to Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia.
Excursion to Malaysia with my family was an opportunity to learn. The vision of one person, Dr. Mahathir Mohammad, the former Premier of Malaysia, was visible everywhere. Everyone said that Mahathir was behind this miraculous growth and progress. A visionary, Mahathir made Malaysia an economic tiger. Lee Kuan Yew, the legendary Singaporean leader said that "preferring national interest over self interest" was the secret of Singapore's development.
Discipline, organisation, decorum and a well-knit system were visible everywhere in Kuala Lumpur. "Petronas Twin-Towers," the world's tallest building was visible from the hotel room. It speaks of Malaysia's prestige and progress. A seven-minute presentation, while entering its 41st floor explained the grand plan of Malaysian government and the petroleum giant -- Petronas. Only visionary leadership can accomplish what Malaysia achieved in a life time.
The visit to "Putrajaya" was another eye opener. There, one could see a combination of modernity and development. Official buildings, including the glorious premier's office, have been built there. A one-hour journey to Putrajaya provides an opportunity to see nature's beauty couched on the lap of human efforts. The cab driver, abreast with the development achievements of Malaysia, narrated the Malaysian story in good English.
A visit to "The Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia" can be an inspiring experience. A gallery shows the photographs of less known but active Muslim men and women. It also shows those who embraced Islam in different countries around the globe. The gallery speaks of the achievements they made for the cause of Islam. The two hours in the museum provided enough inspiration for establishing an "Islamic Development Institute" in my hometown in Mansehra (NWFP) -- Pakistan. Something like this already is under construction built there. The gallery shows immaculate models of mosques and religious places around the world.
At the Islamic Arts Museum of Malaysia, one can get "The Road to Makkah," the autobiography of M. Asad, an Austrian Jew, who embraced Islam after seeing Muslims in the Arabian Peninsula in the beginning of the 20th century. Asad's autobiography shows what is commitment, perseverance, faith, consistency, struggle and what Islam teaches about this world and hereafter.
A meeting with the scholars -- Syed Azmin Syed Noor, Syed Mokhtar Albukhary and Syed Mohamad Albukhary and their team -- would remain memorable. Syed Azmin was generous to give two books on the history of Muslim civilisation. The two volumes depict symbols and reprints of manuscripts of the Holy Quran. The children felt happy to know about the Muslim civilisation from the models, symbols and rare manuscripts of the Holy Quran. Syed Azmin also narrated how they built the Albukhary Mosque and Albukhary University in Kuala Lumpur. It is worth having such institutions in my hometown "Mansehra". A planned visit to Alor Stor, family hometown of Syed Azmin, to meet his family members did not take place due to sudden and tragic death of his cousin.
Umpteen theme parks including Sunway Lagoon, Genting Highlands and Aquaria etc., reflect the progress achieved by Malaysia. One can hardly find a Malaysian to speak in negative terms about the country, its people and the leadership.
In multi-cultural Malaysia, people have great civic sense. In Kuala Lumpur, nobody blows horns. My wife, Qurratul Ain, and our children Syeda Zainab and Syed Asher, particularly noticed this phenomenon. It was a happy experience to notice the children's keen observation of this civilised conduct in Malaysia. Syeda Anusha, the youngest kid, could notice this was indeed something.
Courtesy, politeness and good manners are common characteristics of Malaysias. I did not let my children throw chocolate wrappers on the road, which was so clean. Good civic sense was contagious. It was astonishing to know that around 45 per cent of Malaysia's annual national revenue comes from tourism. One cannot avoid noticing the efficiency with which Malaysia handles its tourism industry.
It is the Malaysian story of how it became an economic tiger in a short span of time. The lessons to learn are: the vision of one person can change the destiny of a nation.
Malaysia has shown what can be achieved by selfless and devoted leadership and a committed nation.
"Preferring national interest over self interest" was the fundamental philosophy of Malaysian success.
With hard work, they built "The Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia", which stands as an icon of Islamic civilisations.
Every land is fertile, it is the tiller that makes the difference. Someone will leave the land to become barren and wait for the miracle. The other will till the land for common benefit. Malaysians belong to the second category.
Marcel Proust, the French novelist, aptly said, "the real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new lands, but in seeing with new eyes."
(The writer, head of Human Resourcers (HR) in Warid Telecom International Limited, Dhaka-Bangladesh, can be accessed on email: masroorh.shah@gmail.com)