Oleh/By		:	DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD 
Tempat/Venue 	: 	EQUATORIAL HOTEL, KUALA LUMPUR 
Tarikh/Date 	: 	06/01/84 
Tajuk/Title  	: 	THE CONFERMENT OF HONORARY 
			FELLOWSHIP AT THE ANNUAL DINNER AND 
			FELLOWSHIP NIGHT OF THE MALAYSIAN 
			INSTITUTE OF DIRECTORS 




Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun Tan Siew Sin, President, Malaysian Institute of
Directors; Members of the Governing Council; Distinguished Guests and
Members; Ladies and Gentlemen.

It is with much pleasure that I wish to express my gratitude for your kind
gesture in admitting me into your Academy of Fellows, an honour and
privilege I cherish.

2. When President Tun Tan invited me to accept the award of Honorary
Fellowship, I thought it would be confined to attending your Annual
Dinners and Fellowship events. However, after hearing the President's
address, I am touched by the Institute's assurance to work with the
Government and the society for the good of our country. I am confident
that with such collaboration from corporate directors we are poised for
even greater heights in bringing peace and prosperity and accelerated
economic development to our people.

3. The role and responsibility of the Institute of Directors, no doubt a
new organisation but an integral part of the private sector leadership, is
important and crucial in achieving our development programmes. The various
concepts we have advocated are aimed at enhancing our people's quality and
way of life, to achieve modernity without loss of our esteemed traditional
and cultural values. As I have stated time and time again, it is not our
intention to transform Malaysians into Japanese, or to give all contracts
to the Japanese and Koreans through our Look East Policy. Rather what we
have in mind is to encourage Malaysians to adopt the best of what the
Japanese and Koreans have practised in the development of their countries,
left almost desolate after the end of hostilities in World War II. Today
the two are frequently described as economic miracles. We need to adopt
the work style of their workers, managers and directors, suitably modified
of course, if we are to make headway in international trade.

4. This Institute has amongst its membership eminent industrialists,
business magnates, aggressive entreprenuers and captains of commerce and
industry. With this galaxy of leadership in the corporate sector, there is
much you can do by way of sharing the benefit of your experience and
knowledge with your counterparts in Government agencies and
organisations. In making Malaysia Incorporated and Privatisation a
reality, the combination of expertise from both the public and private
sectors will no doubt contribute greatly to the success of our national
plans.

5. If the centre of gravity in world affairs is shifting to our part of
the globe, and signs are certainly pointing in that direction, then it is
only appropriate that we gear ourselves to take on the responsibilities
attached to that shift. As a priority we need urgently to train and
develop our human resources. We need to steer away from too much emphasis
on the age-old dependence on humanities studies to enter into the world of
increasing science and technology. Only at our peril could we afford to
ignore this development. We have embarked on pragmatic industrialisation
policies since independence and we have also embarked on joint ventures
resulting in many new investments in Malaysia. Many of the foreign
investors and partners have brought their systems and technologies along.

6. But this has not resulted in the growth of locally-owned industries
employing the new technologies. This may be because there is an
unwillingness of foreigners to transfer technology. On the other hand it
must be admitted that a number of Newly Industrialising Countries or NIC's
seem to have been able to acquire and employ these new technologies on
their own. We have to ask why Malaysians seem unable to acquire the
technologies that Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and even Singapore seem
able to acquire. Is it because we are being discriminated against or is it
because our approach or preparedness to accept new technologies are
wrong? If foreigners relatively unfamiliar with our laws and our
bureaucracy can come here and employ local labour to build a building
faster and better than us, is it because they have secret technologies or
is it simply because we think our way is superior and there is nothing to
learn from others? 6. These are questions that we must ask ourselves. We
are not totally without technology of our own. In the field of rubber, oil
palm and even cocoa planting we are possessed of superior technology. How
keen are we to transfer to potential competitors these technologies? How
then do we expect others to voluntarily give us their technological
secrets? There is a price to be paid. But more than that there is really a
need to be ready to learn, to be quite inquisitive and dedicated.

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

7. Technology is not static. It develops by the seconds almost. What we
acquire today may be obsolete tomorrow. And so it is not just a question
of acquiring new technology, but it is also necessary that we have the
knowledge and the means to develop the technology. We do not have to go
into everything. We need to select a few and specialise -- for we are
short on qualified manpower. Let us have less bellyaching on the
reluctance of others to transfer technology but instead let us focus
ourselves on certain areas and concentrate on them. We have indeed done
this in the plantation industry. There is no reason why we cannot do it in
other industries. One area that cannot be missed if we are to
industrialise is the metals. No country which does not understand the
behaviour and application of metals can ever hope to industrialise. And
the basic metal for industry is still iron and steel.

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

8. The motto of the Institute, I understand, has only recently been
adopted. The words "Integrity, Initiative and Progress", I trust will not
remain mere words, but will be translated into positive action. Integrity
is the hallmark of corporate success. Without it whatever initiative you
have or progress you make will become meaningless. Without integrity in
any organisation, Government or private, corruption and immorality can
creep in to cause corporate decay and eventual collapse. Without integrity
too, morale amongst employees, managers, consumers and Government as well
as industry will decline, and such a state is, of course, very detrimental
to the economy and the country. We must utilise all the physical, human
and other resources available to us to the best of our ability for the
good of the nation. And integrity is a resource that has a distinct and
definite bearing on the success of this nation.

9. The government is pleased to note that there are frequent dialogues
between the public and private sectors. We would like to see more of such
meetings. This type of session strengthens confidence and trust in each
other and dispels rumours, suspicion and mistrust. It clears the air and
strengthens the links between both sectors. As I have said many times,
there is no problem that cannot be solved if the intention to reach
compromise without sacrificing principles is present. After all, have we
not, despite our diversities, lived together in relative harmony and peace
all these years. Tolerance, goodwill and understanding have made Malaysia
truly unique in the international community of nations. These
characteristics need to be continuously nurtured.

10. Before I conclude may I thank you all once again for this Fellowship
award. Thank you also for the kind sentiments expressed on your behalf by
your colleagues in their respective citations. However, I feel the
description of me were somewhat too over-powering and inflated. We really
do not want anyone with an inflated ego in this country -- least of all
the Prime Minister. Whatever achievements made in the national interest
has been due to team effort and to the support and cooperation of the
people. The people have always been the strength of the government. God
willing, with the continued support of the people we can look ahead to a
more stable and prosperous Malaysia.

Thank you.