Yesterday (Monday – April 14), it was reported that Malaysia’s fifth Prime Minister, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who was affectionately known as Pak Lah, had passed away at 7.10pm at the Institut Jantung Negara (IJN).
Known as Malaysia’s Father of Human Capital Development, here are 5 ways the late Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had contributed in creating a better Malaysia:
Economic Development
He launched 5 Malaysian Economic Corridors, namely Iskandar Malaysia, the Northern Economic Region, the East Coast Economic Region, the Sabah Development Corridor and the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE).
These corridors aim to stimulate regional development and enhance the country’s economic competitiveness. He also focused on the agriculture sector to reduce the income gap between urban and rural areas, as well as ensure more inclusive economic growth.
Anti-Corruption
The late Pak Lah introduced the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Special Business Facilitation Task Force (PEMUDAH) to address corruption issues in the public and private sectors.
This step strengthened the government’s efforts in ensuring transparency and integrity.
Human Capital Development
He was dubbed Malaysia’s ‘Father of Human Capital Development’ due to his championship and initiatives to strengthen our country’s human capital.
The late Pak Lah implemented development strategies based on the leadership principles of the concept of Islam Hadhari or Civilisational Islam.
He also declared a substantial salary increase, ranging from 7.5% to 35%, for public servants and also allowed 40,000 civil servants to revert to the pension scheme after opting for the Employees Provident Fund.
Recognition of the Halal Industry
Under his administration, Malaysia’s Halal industry ecosystem was strengthened, making the country a global leader in this sector. He was later awarded the National Halal Development Figure for his contributions to developing this industry.
Open Leadership Approach
The late Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was also known for his open and consultative leadership style, which was different from his predecessors.
He encouraged the participation of various parties in the national decision-making and planning process and maintained development policies such as Vision 2020.
With all that being said, we would like to offer our sincerest condolences to the late Pak Lah’s family and loved ones. He will truly be missed.
What do you think about this? Do feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section.
Sources: Astro Awani, BERNAMA
