By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Nov 2: Political pundit Dato Peter Minos believes Malaysia has what it takes to become a major economic power by 2050 provided the nation strengthens its education system, preserves unity and steers clear of racial and religious extremism.
Commenting on Alibaba founder Jack Ma’s recent remark that Malaysia is poised for greatness due to its resources and young talents, Minos said the entrepreneur’s optimism mirrors what many Malaysians hope to see realised.
“Jack Ma has brains and big success with Alibaba, so what he says and predicts has valid points.
“We Malaysians may not see it, but a neutral outsider can look into Malaysia’s future,” Minos said today.
He pointed out that Malaysia’s youth are showing increasing levels of innovation, creativity and motivation—traits that, if nurtured, can propel the nation’s economic progress.
“Many of the young people are eager to learn, experiment and test new ideas.
“They are mastering new industries and information while making full use of IT and even AI,” he pointed out.
With its strategic location in Southeast Asia and rich natural resources such as water, land, forests, oil and gas, Minos believes Malaysia has a solid foundation to thrive.
He noted that Jack Ma also singled out Sarawak for its strong push towards green energy development and the use of clean power for new industries, including its plan for free tertiary education.
“That we can agree on. Sarawak is indeed fast moving in developing green technology and its applications,” Minos added.
However, he cautioned that Malaysia’s rise will depend on how well it manages internal challenges.
“If Malaysia goes all out to educate its population, creates greater national unity by controlling tendencies of religious and racial extremism, and handles the differences between Malaya and Sabah-Sarawak harmoniously, Malaysia will certainly be great. It will be,” he stressed.
Minos also agreed with Jack Ma’s observation that while Singapore remains advanced, it may have reached its full potential whereas Malaysia is “full of people on the go,” eager to create and innovate, much like China 30 years ago.
“Those are the ingredients of economic success. Malaysians should feel encouraged and inspired by that,” he asserted. — DayakDaily
