30 Januari 2008
Prime Minister Abdullah's claim that Malaysia is currently ranked 8th in the world in terms of competitiveness is deliberately misleading.
Closer examination of the data reveals that this is true only within the category of countries with a population of 20 million or more According to the full World Competitiveness Report 2007 as cited by the Prime Minister, Malaysia is in fact ranked only 23rd in the world. Fifteen of the twenty-two countries ranked above Malaysia in 2007 have populations of less than 20 million people, while seven of the twenty-two have populations exceeding 20 million.
Malaysia's competitiveness ranking in 2006 was 22nd, and in 1997, it was 17th.
Prime Minister Abdullah's decision to resort to such misdirection is a weak attempt to hide the fact that Malaysia's economic fundamentals have weakened progressively under his government.
Malaysia's competitiveness is plumetting and where once our economy stood shoulder to shoulder with countries like Singapore and Hong Kong, we are now ranked 23rd in the world, they are ranked 2nd and 3rd respectively.
Malaysia is clearly in need of a higher calibre of leadership if we Malaysia is to realise its full potential as an economy of global stature.
ANWAR IBRAHIM
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