CHANGE FOR PROGRESS

In the world today, the constant that keeps changing is change itself. Every country,
organisation and individual must adapt to changes to progress. People who lack
adaptability are ruled by fear, anxiety and deep personal discomfort with change. People
fear change because they are moving towards unchartered territory, full of uncertainty and
risk.

In our life time, since most of us are then Gen Y citizens, we have seen our beloved country change from an agricultural country to becoming an industrial country. We derived
tremendous benefit from the rapid changes that occurred in the country. Our standard of
living improved tremendously although inflation keeps on creeping and destroying our wealth. During Mahathir’s era, Malaysia went through great change especially during the first ten years of his tenureship. From implementing a standardised time zone for Peninsula and Sabah, Sarawak to the building of the Petronas Twin Towers and the Plus Highways. All these projects created wealth for the country. According to an economic analyst, the Plus Highways contributed 1% per year to the Gross Domestic Product of the country especially a few years after it was built. This amount was high if we compare it with the economic growth which was 7% to 8% per annum during that period. The Petronas Twin Towers area has become the city centre. All these years before the Twin Towers was built, our Kuala Lumpur had no city centre. New York had the World Trade Centre (now it is ground zero) as its icon, Paris has its Effiel Tower but not Kuala Lumpur. But now, the Petronas Twin Towers is like a magnet attracting the established property developers to have a slice of the development. That area had progressed in such a way that it attracted a lot of interest from foreigners all over the world to buy and invest on condominiums and office space. These foreigners turned their investments into their second home.


What benefits do we get from those projects that we call progress? In the case of
foreigners buying properties at the Petronas Twin Towers area, indirectly they are
contributing to the progress of Malaysia. Their contributions are almost the same as the “My Second Home Programme” launched by the government to attract millionaires and retired corporate leaders to come to Malaysia. For example, when these foreigners buy the condominiums and turn them into their second home, they will regularly come to Malaysia to stay for a few days or weeks. When they stay here, they will spend their money lavishly on our food, products and transportation. The inflow of foreign currencies will create economic activities and wealth to Malaysians who are aware of the opportunities offered. They are like tourists coming to Malaysia. If we tend to encourage tourists to visit the country as they bring in hard cash and benefit the people of Malaysia, why don’t we appreciate and welcome these property investors? In the end, it is the country that progresses to become a wealthy nation.

The second example of changes for progress that has become a controversial issue to the people of Malaysia is the double tracking rail system from Johor Baharu to Padang
Besar. Although there maybe weaknesses concerning the awarding of tender of the
project, the benefit to the country economically and socially is very great. Those who
protested against the project says that it was not economical and not viable. Their arguements were that the returns from the investments of RM 20 billion at the most will be RM 500 millions per annum. It turns out to be 2.5% per annum. It is lower than fixed deposit. But we must understand that the contributions from a government project like Keretapi Tanah Melayu should be viewed through a different angle compared to a private company. A Private company evaluate its project according to their bottomline, which is, solely on its profit, regardless of its benefits to the society. But projects like KTM double tracking does not only benefits KTM because this project also benefits the society and the nation which is not included in the calculation of revenue of RM 500 millions that KTM will receive. This spills over benefits that stimulate the economy and cause a multiplier effect which create wealth to the people.

The other aspect of changes that we need for progress are concerning our attitude
to change. We as human beings are afraid of change because changes even for progress
brings along uncertainty and risk. But those who can easily adapt to change are better off
than those who resist change. This is because people who resist change can only hold to
their resistance temporarily. In the end, they have to accept the changes that are happening
around them. By that time, the early birds or the people who are readily accepting the
change have advance and benefits from the progress. For example, in Singapore a few
decades ago, when the wooden houses were demolished to make way for modern living in
flats and condominiums which were subsidised by the government, the people were reluctant to move to comfortable home. They preferred to stay in their old house which lacked modern facilities. This was because they feared the change which they felt were
uncertain to them and they were reluctant to change their way of life. In Singapore’s
case, those people who at last moved into their apartments built by the government,
brought along their hens and ducks to be reared behind their kitchens in the apartments.
They are not ready to abandon their old ways of doing things. These are classics examples of
resistance to change which slow down the progress of the people and country. The same
situation applies to the people of our country.

Lastly, how are we going to reduce the resistance to change for the sake of progress? In my opinion, the first thing we must do is to erase their fear of changing to a new way of life. Education and information through the print media and also through television and internet and entertainment outlets must be disseminated to the people. Secondly, compensation because of leaving their traditional ways of doing things must be adequate and satisfactory to those involved. Thirdly, some form of attractions like subsidies or anything that benefits them. Through these efforts, resentment and reluctant for change towards progress can be reduced and these people can also contribute towards progress.