Well, I am using the words Tata, Wong and Jose figuratively to mean India, China and South America (yes South America. Not many seem to think that South America is waiting in line to take over the mettle of world economy!)
Just a few days ago, it was announced that the Yankees (Ford) have sold the Brits (Jaguar and Land Rover) to the Indians (Tata). We all know that MG Rover is owned by the Chinese (Nanjing Autombile Company). Soon it is quite possible that NAC may evoke the same feelings that BMW evokes today or Tata may mean the same sense of pride and superiority as Bentley does today. And then of course we have Carlos Slim who is buying over everything in sight. Embraer, the Brazilian plane maker is having a go at the traditional playgrounds of Boeing and Airbus. Mittal owns a huge chunk of world steel output. The list goes on.
I have written before on the rise of these nations. I am moved to write again on this subject because I feel infuriated when I hear Malaysians talk and behave like we are still the Malaysia we used to be in the 70s and 80s and early 90s. There was a time when Malaysia was the blue eyed boy of world corporate leaders but not anymore.Where are we today? Nowhere! Think about it...what is our competitive advantage? Truly Asia? World class infrastructure? Skilled work force? Cheap production cost? Biotechnology? Political stability? Open economy? Ease of doing business? Which ever way we look at it, somebody else is doing a better job at the so called competitive advantage that we claim we have. Remember the early private higher education entrepreneurs in Malaysia? They were the first to innovate in this region to bring in the concept of twinning, 3+0 and so on. Where are we now in this? Our neighbours who learned from us have almost wiped us out of the picture.
The point is this : We are loosing at every end because we are stuck in the past. The world has changed. Regions that were once so downtrodden that they needed the Salvation Army and Doctors Without Frontiers are now exporting CEOs, pharmaceuticals, space technology and attracting MBA students from first world countries.
However, there is something that is still in our favour for the time being. The current world economy is all about India and China and we have a very special bond with these 2 nations. Our histories have intertwined at some of the most dramatic moments of history. We have known each other for so long that we have come to respect and accept each other. It is time now to make this relationship pay. I would urge our decision makers to abandon their jaundiced perception and parochial mind set and embrace these two nations. Use our fellow Malaysians who are Indians and Chinese in a strategic manner to benefit the nation as a whole. Do away with insular thinking. Eliminate all forms of institutionalized road-blocks so that we can unlock the value we have created in our relationship with India and China.
We should start by sending our students over there. Corporate leaders should take study tours to these countries. Learn their cost management strategies. Learn their production innovations. Copy their supply chain management. Spy on their next big move. See what else they have up their sleeves. And then, offer them whatever that we have that can make them better at what they do. Create a branding for Malaysia as their partners.
And, we better start doing this soon as I don't think there are many Malaysians who speak Spanish and Portuguese!
