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Wawasan 2020

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Wawasan 2020 (Jawi: واوسن 2020) or Vision 2020 is a Malaysian ideal introduced by the former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Mahathir bin Mohamad during the tabling of the Sixth Malaysia Plan in 1991. The vision calls for the nation to achieve a self-sufficient industrialized nation by the year 2020, encompasses all aspects of life, from economic prosperity, social well-being, educational worldclass, political stability, as well as psychological balance. In order to achieve Vision 2020, Mahathir lamented that the nation required an annual growth of 7% (in real terms) over the thirty-year period 1990–2020, so that the economy would be eightfold stronger than its 1990 GDP of RM115 billion. This would translate to a GDP of RM920 billion (in 1990 Ringgit terms) in 2020.

Contents

Wawasan 2020 is also the title of an article by William Greider about globalization in Malaysia.

Challenges

Mahathir outlined nine strategic challenges that Malaysia must overcome to achieve Vision 2020.

  • Challenge 1: Establishing a united Malaysian nation made up of one Bangsa Malaysia (Malaysian Race).
  • Challenge 2: Creating a psychologically liberated, secure and developed Malaysian society.
  • Challenge 3: Fostering and developing a mature democratic society.
  • Challenge 4: Establishing a fully moral and ethical society.
  • Challenge 5: Establishing a matured liberal and tolerant society.
  • Challenge 6: Establishing a scientific and progressive society.
  • Challenge 7: Establishing a fully caring society.
  • Challenge 8: Ensuring an economically just society, in which there is a fair and equitable distribution of the wealth of the nation.
  • Challenge 9: Establishing a prosperous society with an economy that is fully competitive, dynamic, robust and resilient.

    • Song

    Wawasan 2020 is also a patriotic song on the same idea sung in Malay. The song was composed by Akbar Nawab.

    Revisions to the vision

    In view of changing global conditions amid the Financial crisis of 2007–2010, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak had in August 2009, said that there was now a need to redefine and recalibrate the vision in terms of how to achieve it, as well as its timeline. Najib, who said that it was necessary for Malaysia to undertake bold economic reforms, had tasked the National Economic Advisory Council (NEAC) to carry out a review of the vision. The NEAC is expected to publish its report by end 2009, with a second report on implementation 6 months after that. Najib also said that in order for Malaysia to achieve a developed nation status by 2020, the country has to grow at an annual rate of 8% over the next 10 years. He cited that a lower hypothetical growth of 6% per annum would delay Malaysia's vision to become a developed country by 10 years to 2030. Malaysia’s GDP growth rate averaged 7.2% per annum in the 1990s, and slowed to 5.4% per annum in the following decade.

    References

    Wawasan 2020 Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA