Yesterday morning, heard over a talk show about what Look-east Policy has done so far to Malaysia.
Look-East Policy started during 1980s when Malaysia started to embark on having more heavy-duty industry into the picture. At this time, technology know-how was learnt from Japanese, and hence, started the project of Proton and so forth. For now, it's already 20 odd years, but still, the objective of this policy has somewhat not living to its mark, just yet.
The main factors I have gathered from the discussion were:
a) lack of proper attitude of continued learning from the people,
b) lack of proper education on the working ethics and professionalism,
c) lack of enforcement from government in pursuing further on the right methodology,
d) lack of collectivism effort for the benefit of the whole nation
Maybe that's why my teachers used to say, "First World Technology, Third World Mentality", this is how it described Malaysian in general.
My guess was that Japanese is homogenous being, where there is only Japanese standard practice and mannerism and no one else has. Whereas Malaysia is too diverse with people from different cultural background and life ethics.
But then again, looking at the melting pot of the Americans, though you can find people from 150 nations across the globe there, but they will still have the the Americanisation work ethics. Then, I was wondering whether is Malaysia over-influenced by the Malay culture (Malaysianisation working ethics too?) since the majority is of Malay population, that people begin to just do what they please and stay contented?
Changes take a long way, and for now, Look-East Policy will start to take another toll again, as Korean is starting to come up much faster than Malaysia, though in a short period of 15 years.
If you just excuse me, looks like I have some self-reflection to do.