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Oleh/By : DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
Tempat/Venue : KUALA LUMPUR HILTON
Tarikh/Date : 10/11/97
Tajuk/Title : THE GLOBAL PANEL KUALA LUMPUR 1997
ASIA AND EUROPE:
FORGING A PARTNERSHIP FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
1. I have been asked to speak on the subject of Asia
and Europe forging a partnership for the 21st century.
2. Let me try to do so by attempting to answer two
questions. First, why a partnership? Second, a
partnership for what?
3. However let me begin by answering the `what' before
proceeding to the `why'.
4. I believe there are many things which mankind must
try to do in the 21st century. First, we must prepare our
societies for the new world of massive and rapid change
and transformation. In the 21st century, radical changes
will sweep over all of us, and sweep us along with it,
whether we like it or not. We cannot resist but we may
perhaps be able to steer in some direction if we are able
to develop certain skills.
5. It has always been true that in life the only
constant is change. But in the years ahead, I suspect
that change will be faster and more furious than ever
before. Time will be telescoped and history accelerated.
If we do not retreat into the caves, if we are not
insulated, we will be hurled and spun around. Those who
yearn for the quiet life have no right to be born of this
time and age.
6. People have always been subjected to multiple
loyalties. But in the 21st century, we can expect perhaps
a greater pull and counter-pull from the forces of
national and global identities. We can expect greater
pressures from increasing globalism and greater assaults
against national economies. I am sure in many societies,
there will be an intense contest between human rights and
human responsibilities. There will be value wars rising
from the attempt to resolve the meaning of life and of
human fulfilment. There will be clashes between
materialism and spiritualism. There will be challenges
arising out of differing emphasis on the role of
government, the state, the so-called free market and the
individual. I am sure that there will be contests between
and within societies on the power and function of the
media which will be ever more invasive of all that is
sacred in our lives.
7. Where will the family go? Where will the struggle
for family values end up? What indeed will constitute
family as homosexuality becomes respectable in many
societies. What will be the nature and purpose of work?
How will various societies deal with the problem of aging
and the aged and cloning -- and a host of issues which we
cannot venture to even guess at this point in time?
8. Second, the struggle for physical survival across
species, across continents, across all boundaries will
begin in earnest in the world of the 21st century. We
will see dramatic climate changes and attempts at climate
control. We will see environmental disasters
unprecedented in human history. God has already given us
ample warning. If we do not succeed in enriching and
giving new life to our physical environment, our physical
environment will impoverish and take from us our very
lives.
9. In the 21st century, we will see the emergence and
spread of new diseases. As populations increase by the
billions there will be a new calculus of supply and demand
with regard to water, food and energy. There will be new
weapons of mass destruction and equally deadly
unconventional / conventional weapons. The human race
will need to find new ways of sustainable production and
sustainable consumption. We must have dynamic growth. The
poor and the under-privileged will probably be overlooked
as the rich grab everything for themselves. Poverty is
the second greatest adversary of the environment, second
only to the over-consumption of the affluent. But new
ways and patterns of dynamic and vigorous growth will need
to evolve if the dynamism is to be sustained over long
periods of time.
10. Third, in the 21st century, all of mankind will need
to cope with and overcome a whole series of transnational
threats ranging from drug trafficking to the spillover
effects and tragedies of "failure states", to
international terrorism, accidental nuclear and chemical
accidents, currency manipulation, money laundering and
organised crime.
11. Fourth, in the 21st century, we will need to fully
exploit, spread and disseminate the continuing
technological revolution, the shelf-life of which may be
measured in minutes rather than days or months. How do we
cope with the network society, with bio-engineering and
the flood of useless information hiding in its midst
pearls of knowledge.
12. Fifth, how do we ensure a world in the 21st century
where perhaps the greatest challenge is not to ensure the
greatest good for the greatest number, at the lowest cost,
but rather how to ensure the highest level of people
empowerment, to the maximum number possible, to the
maximum level possible, at the lowest price possible.
Since business is expected to be the primary movers and
builders of people empowerment rather than governments,
how do we ensure that greed and abuses of corporate power
will not rule the day. Can we ensure that the free market
will be governed by a sense of commitment and
responsibility when in fact the movers and shakers of the
market place are elected by no one and are moved largely
by greed and the lure of unlimited wealth. Will the
Milkens and the Boesky's and the Soroses of the future be
any more considerate than the present models.
13. I still believe that in the 21st century people
development and people empowerment will be the most
important role of government in most societies. We have
to ensure that national governments will fulfill fully
their responsibility in this crucial area through less
disruptive systems of rule by the people.
14. I am sure there are other critical challenges to
mankind in the 21st century. But let me concentrate on
the three which I think need particular emphasis.
15. This is the challenge of:
- building a more peaceful and more just global
commonwealth;
- ensuring global prosperity; and
- ensuring cultural tolerance in a multi-cultural
world and ensuring not only no clash of civilisations
but instead, a joyous celebration of civilisations.
16. Peace, true peace, is more than the absence of war.
It needs the embrace of friendship. It calls for the
presence of justice. It necessitates not only democracy
within the borders of the nation state but also democracy
in the affairs between the nations of the global
community.
17. The age of imperialism is dead. But it is far from
having been buried. The age of hegemonism is still with
us but has taken a new form -- that of economic hegemony
which is no less oppressive and dehumanising than the
imperialism of the past.
18. For the peace of the 21st century, no disguised
hegemonism can be acceptable. We must ensure total and
truly democratic global governance.
19. Let me say substantially more about the century of
global prosperity which we must build in the 21st century.
This can only be achieved through the most massive
expansion of trade in human history and the most massive
flows of productive foreign investment across borders that
this planet has ever seen. Trade and productive
investment must be the arteries, the veins, the tissue,
the muscle and the bone of our global prosperity of the
21st century.
20. We must construct a global prosperity process which
will bring prosperity not to a select few but prosperity
for all. No nation should be left out. None should be
deprived and impoverished. As we leave the 20th century
behind, we carry with us the albatross of gross
inequality. In 1965, the richest 20 percent of the world
earned 69 percent of the world's wealth. By 1990, this
percentage had increased from 69 percent to 83 percent. In
1965, the average income of the richest 20 percent was 31
times the average income of the poorest 20 percent of
mankind. By 1990, this had increased from 31 times to 60
times.With the present currency turmoil the ratio has
worsened.
21. In the 21st century, it is crucial that we work for
the absolute eradication of absolute poverty. A global
crusade against absolute poverty in which all nations will
lead must be part of the passion of the century. Why not
set the 21st century as the century in which we will see
poverty's end?
22. Our faith in the wonderful powers of market forces to
generate massive prosperity sometimes seems to border on
religious fanaticism. There is much in the magic of the
marketplace. But the market can be very cruel. The
frequently invisible hand of the free market has tended to
enrich the rich and the avaricious while impoverishing and
heaping further misery on the poor. If market forces are
to play a role then they must be governed by laws, rules,
and regulation even as we insist on Governments respecting
laws, rules and regulations. Remember that market forces
once resulted in Manhattan Island being exchanged for a
few bottles of whisky. And more than that have been
exchanged for worthless glass beads.
23. I have stressed, in our economic agenda, the
importance of prosperity for all, a massive expansion of
trade and investments in productive capacities and for a
global crusade against absolute poverty. There is a
fourth point which I would like to emphasise. And that is
the importance of a mind-shift from "beggar-thy-neighbour"
to "prosper-thy-neighbour".
24. If we are honest with ourselves, we will concede that
mankind has spent an inordinate amount of time and effort
on beggaring our neighbours. We have held stubbornly to
the irrational view that our future and our prosperity
depends on ourselves doing better than others. We have
assumed that what we gain others must lose. What others
gain must be our loss. We have invested enormous passion
and resources in this competitive zero-sum game intended
to do others in.
25. We must begin to spend an inordinate amount of time
and effort on prospering our neighbours and their
neighbours. We must hold stubbornly to the rational view
that our future and our prosperity depends on others doing
at least as well as ourselves. We must invest enormous
passion and resources in this positive sum game where
everybody wins.
26. Many might ponder why it is that over the last
generation a grouping of economies, neighbouring on each
other, have created what some refer to as "the East Asian
economic miracle". Why is it that the tigers and dragons
of East Asia have run together in a pack? Part of the
central reason is that through accident and by design, the
corporations and private sector of East Asia -- often
encouraged, advised, pushed and cajoled by their
governments -- have consciously and unconsciously been
working according to the impulse of "prosper-thy-
neighbour". We who have lived through this incredible
phenomenon can look back and say: We have clearly seen
the past; and it works.
27. This is one reason why we expanded ASEAN, why Vietnam
gained double-quick admission into the Association of
South-East Asian Nations. This is one reason why we have
moved quickly to admit Myanmar, and Laos. This is one
reason why Cambodia too will be quickly admitted into
ASEAN.
28. But alas those who believe in "begger-thy-neighbour"
philosophy, if we can call it philosophy, have caught up
with us. And you know the result. To earn them a few
billions they impoverish us, beggar us by tens and even
hundreds of billions.
29. Let me now turn to the theme of living in a
multi-cultural world, surely one of the great challenges
of the 21st century. Some say the civilisations will
clash. Some call for the co-existence of civilisations.
Let me speak for a "celebration" of civilisations.
30. Let us all face the fact that the 21st century will
be a century of multiple civilisations and multiple
cultures. Cultural and civilisational pluralism will be
the hallmark of the 21st century. The era of cultural
hegemonism is over, however much the controlled media of
the West try to "spread the word" and to hold the line.
31. There obviously are universal core human values which
have been accepted, indeed cherished, by societies
throughout history. Of this there can be no doubt. Most
of these universal core human values should continue to be
cherished. If I may, I would argue that the primary
custodian of most of these old-fashioned cultures, values
and ways are the more conservative societies of Asia who
have not advanced much beyond what are today often
referred to in the West as Victorian "values" or family
values. I would argue that as the primary custodian of
universal values, Asia should act to ensure its worldwide
adherence. Asia should rather vigorously lecture and
hector those societies which have abandoned our universal
human values for some rather quaint and some way-out
ideas. If I am permitted, I might be tempted to argue
that until these deviant societies returned to the
straight and narrow and begin to behave themselves, unless
they begin to behave much more like we do, and unless they
begin to believe the things we hold sacred and dear, then
we in Asia should not trade with them, should impose
sanctions on them and should adopt a policy of
"conditional engagement". In other words, if they don't
behave, we should not renew their right to most favoured
nation status and so on.
32. I wonder how many of our European friends feel a
little uncomfortable with some of these ideas. I think
that we obviously should ensure that this scenario does
not become the dominant reality of the 21st century. There
is a great deal of wisdom in the sacred admonition that we
should do unto others what we want others to do unto us.
We should not do unto others what we do not wish others to
do unto us.
33. I think from the perspective of the 21st century,
some of the current ideas and practices of today's
friction of civilisations will appear most quaint. With
the exception of those who believe that Coca Cola, Big
Macs and Western "pop" command the moral high ground of
human civilisation, it is interesting that the rest of
humanity assume that art will and should differ as between
different peoples and cultures.
34. What is more, the more adventurous and enlightened
among us say: vive la difference. How boring and how
impoverished would human civilisation be if there is total
uniformity, one form and only one way of doing things. We
enjoy and relish the differences. Even when we think that
our own forms and accomplishments are superior, we take no
affront from the fact that others have different tastes
and different values and different ways. We take no
affront from others believing in their "inferior" ways.
35. Yet, how is it, what is the logic of those who
believe, that when it comes to political tastes, political
values and political ways, only one and no other is
kosher. All else is inferior. Not only that. There can
be little tolerance for these "inferior" forms. And not
only must this one anointed form be adhered to in the
main. It must be adhered to in its entirety, according to
the sacred texts, forms, practices, and rituals coming
down from some sacred mount.
36. I believe in democracy. We could not have got to
where we are, indeed I doubt if we could have survived, if
we had not adhered to democracy. But Thank God Malaysian
democracy is not Italian democracy, or Swiss democracy, or
British democracy or even Dutch democracy. (You will be
delighted to know that at no stage in the 21st century
should you expect anyone to try to ram Malaysian democracy
down your throat. Still we count on you being wise enough
to appreciate some of its virtues).
37. The 21st century could be mankind's greatest or
mankind's worst. Given that there are so many threats to
confront and so many opportunities to grasp, why should
Europe and Asia work together in partnership?
38. First because in a shrunken world we are going to be
uncomfortably close neighbours. The Far East is no longer
far.
39. Second, because over a broad range of issues, we have
and will increasingly have a common purpose and a shared
interest.
40. One might begin by admitting that there are many
areas in which we will not see eye to eye and in which we
can and should disagree and quarrel. But these areas are
not as great as we imagine. Does Europe have a
fundamentally different perspective with regard to the
challenge of change in the 21st century? Will Europe
disagree with the global struggle for physical survival?
Will Europe disagree with the need to overcome the
trans-national threats I enumerated? Will Europe have
enormous difficulty with the challenge of human
empowerment I suggest? Will Europe be at great odds with
the vision I have outlined of a peaceful and more just
global commonwealth, or of ensuring global prosperity for
all, or of ensuring more than mere cultural coexistence in
the 21st century? I doubt it.
41. On the other hand, there are vast areas over which we
will increasingly see eye to eye, over which we will
converge and agree and over which we therefore should work
together in friendship and partnership.
42. Third, there are many challenges which neither Europe
nor Asia can on their own tackle or resolve. Please note
that my advocacy of a greater partnership between Europe
and Asia is not an exclusive one which seeks to keep
anyone out. Indeed, over the entire front of global or
regional issues, the joining of all the hands of humanity
is necessary.
43. Fourth, I need to remind Asians that there should be
greater partnership with Europe because Europe is strong,
influential and rich. European inventiveness and science
is not a thing of the past. After five hundred years, our
learning from Europe is far from ended. Those who assume
that Europe is a phenomenon of the dusty pages of history
and cannot bounce back with incredibly renewed vigour
assume far too much.
44. But perhaps I should remind our European friends that
Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia and other regions of Asia
will become much stronger, much more influential, much
richer in the 21st century. Asian inventiveness and
science will return. Asia must remain a great learner but
others would be wise to learn a thing or two from this
vast continent.
45. As someone who has seen so much of what we in Asia
have gone through in the 20th century, I have no doubt
whatsoever that the epitaphs on East Asia or on Southeast
Asia of recent years and months are a little premature.
Our rising has never been easy. The journey, for all of
us, without exception, has been horrendously challenging.
We have had as many downs as ups over the last fifty
years. We have been written off over and over again. The
problems of today -- serious and difficult as they are --
pale in comparison with those of the past. In the latest
forecasts of the IMF, the World Bank, the ADB and just
about everyone else, there has been some downward revision
on the short term projections. But without exception,
all, even the worst detractors, say that East Asia will
remain the fastest growing region in the world.
46. I have not a shadow of a doubt that we shall
overcome. We shall overcome the present turbulence. And
we shall continue the journey to the return of history.
47. Please allow me to end with a few words on the market
turbulence since July 2, 1997, when the Thai baht was
devalued.
48. As you know, the currency problems of Mexico caused a
"tequila effect" which wreaked havoc especially in Latin
America. The Thai crisis has triggered a "tom yam effect"
which has hit every globalised economy in Southeast Asia
without exception: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Thailand, Singapore. And as we all now know the failure
of Southeast Asia can spread to every country in this
globalised world of ours. There is no room for smugness
for anyone.
49. On June 17, 1997, at a conference on capital flows
held in Los Angeles just two weeks before the devaluation
of the Thai baht, one Michel Camdessus, who works for the
IMF, said the following about Malaysia in his written
Keynote Address (let me quote him word for word: let me
read slowly: and let me make sure that I get it absolutely
right):
"Malaysia is a good example of a country where the
authorities are well aware of the challenges of managing
the pressures that result from high growth and of
maintaining a sound financial system amid substantial
capital flows and a booming property market. Of course,
the life of policymakers is always easier when one starts,
as Malaysia does, with a long history of low inflation and
an outward-oriented economy. But significant further
progress has been made in dealing with new challenges.
Over the last year, output growth has moderated to a more
sustainable rate, and inflation has remained low. The
current account deficit -- which is primarily the result
of strong investment spending -- has narrowed
substantially. The increase in the fiscal surplus
targeted for this year is expected to make an important
contribution towards consolidating these achievements."
50. So, according to the IMF, which as you all know is
rather stingy with its grades, Malaysia gets very high
marks for a "sound financial system", for "low inflation",
for the moderation of growth, for the narrowing of the
current account deficit (which according to Mr Camdessus
is "primarily the result of strong investment spending").
And we get very high marks for the increase in fiscal
surplus in the Government's budget.
51. But the head of the IMF has more to say. And again I
quote:
"The Malaysian authorities have also emphasized
maintaining high standards of bank soundness.
Non-performing loans have fallen markedly in recent years;
risk-weighted capital ratios are above Basle
recommendations; and steps have been taken to restrain
lending for the property and stock markets."
52. Mr Camdessus and the IMF concluded, just two weeks
before the cleverer currency manipulators discovered that
everything in Malaysia was wrong, that Malaysia has the
"kind of attitude that fully justifies the confidence of
the markets...". I repeat: the "kind of attitude that
fully justifies the confidence of the
markets".
53. Quite obviously, the IMF is delighted, indeed
laudatory, about Malaysia's economic fundamentals. But
all this is obviously not good enough to withstand the
"tom yam contagion effect" and the primitive herd
instincts of the currency traders and share investors.
54. It will be a sad day indeed if the new century begins
with humans behaving likes herds of unthinking and
unquestioning creatures. Civilisations have always been
marked with orderliness and organisation based on the
human capacity to think. The most successful
civilisations and the longest lasting are those which are
able to arrange their affairs well and to manage it even
better. To discard law and order in favour of the herd
animal instincts usually associated with animals is to
abdicate our claim to being the most intelligent of God's
creatures.
55. If we are going to progress and to make this coming
century a better century than the present one, let us not
submit to knee-jerk reactions. Let us instead call upon
our past experience so as to select and develop the best
of values and cultures so that the civilisation we build
in the 21st century will be one which will withstand the
test of time.
56. May I express a wish that this panel will rise above
the narrow loyalties of colour and creed, of history and
geography, to evolve and to resolve on a partnership
between Asia and Europe that will contribute to the better
development of humankind.
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