singapore may have better computer penetration among the people than usa, and also it also has singapore l vision, but it is upset because singtel was upstaged by a less than one year old internet startup in the person of richard li. it is also smarting because india is recognised as the second global software center after america.
singapore may have superior IT infrastrastructure and highly skilled technologists, but its leaders, including lky, bemoan the fact that its people require a 'change in mindset'. both malaysia and singapore need a change in mindset not only among the people but with the national leaders.
the 'kiasu' mentality in singapore caused a lack of entrepreneur spirit. its corporate leaders may be oxbridge, harvard or mit material, but there is an absence of adventure, risk taking or derring do among them. the principles which made singapore number one for business competitiveness have become inadequate in the new milieu of new politics ane new economy of the internet age.
the 'results orientated' education system produced scholars good enough for an old economy, but stifled minds and thinking, and while brilliant in their professions, were mere dwarfs in creative thinking and vision.
as in malaysia, despite economic prosperity, political development has been stunted by a climate where free expression, critical thinking and questioning are suppressed by regressive laws like isa and tight control of the media. without democracy of the quality in the States and India, there is no way that the people can be inspired to be creative and be entrepreneur driven.
dinesh bas pointed out many obstacles to the creation of a K society. MSC, according to some ceos with startups in the corridor, 'will never be a silicon valley'. there are only a handful of world class consortiums with nominal investments, despite the ballyhoo at the launching where global ceos photograhed with malaysia's prime minister. The black eye of anwar effectively wiped off all hopes that democracy, freedom of expression, critical thinking will prevail in the corridor and malaysia, and this cooled off investment interest among major consortia.
as long as there is censorship of the media and the sword of damocles of isa over the heads of malsysians, all talk of msc, it and k K society will produce more hot air than results. The K economy master blueprint will follow the way of MSC
dr m should take a leaf from india's example. democracy and free press are the foundations responsible for the success of India and for being acknowledged as the number two software center in the world. The mecca for President Clinton and IT ceos are hyderaban and bangalore, not MSC. Can the stark reality of the situation serve as a wake up call for Malaysia's leaders?