var comments = {"total":"5","items":[{"id":"26397","storyid":"117779","author":"scratchmeow","userid":"23396","date":"1258624686","content":"I think it is missing the point. Rhetoric about \"knowledge-based\" economy, etc totally disregard the economics of production and consumption of goods and services. In every economy, in order for people to consume goods, there must be production. In order for production and manufacturing to happen, there must be labour. The West has long benefited from cheap labour in South East Asian countries, first through colonialism and now through globalisation (when it became too expensive to exploit their own labourers, the West simply took the problem overseas to developing countries).Malaysia does not need \"more professionals\", it needs better paid workers. Because if everyone in the world became accountants and lawyers, then who would grow food or produce goods for consumption? Get real.","icon":"<img alt=\"usericon\" src=\"http:\/\/comments.malaysiakini.com\/images\/defaulticon.jpg?1259228700\" height=\"40\" width=\"40\" \/>"},{"id":"26330","storyid":"117779","author":"qchong","userid":"6468","date":"1258615157","content":"Looking at the current state of affairs in Malaysia (rotten judiciary, sub-standard constructions, rooted and irreversible corruptions etc), whether the economic meltdown occurred or not, the nation would never attain Vision 2020. Care for your own backyard first and don't put all the blame on the sub-prime crisis.","icon":"<img alt=\"usericon\" src=\"http:\/\/comments.malaysiakini.com\/images\/defaulticon.jpg?1259228700\" height=\"40\" width=\"40\" \/>"},{"id":"26285","storyid":"117779","author":"theng book","userid":"52688","date":"1258603841","content":"It is certainly a yes for Malaysia. Malaysia is over the years relaying heavily on skillful workforce, which is our main selling-point Our aim of creating a knowledge-based economy can only be sustained by specialist knowledge and skillful labours. Whereas, countries like China are leaning towards more labour-based economy; cheap labours are one of the main selling-points. Therefore, it is essential that Malaysia need to have sufficient experts and professionals in numerous fields of work. However, why the brain-drain? As i have mentioned, draconian laws and inequalities in economic policies have turned them away from working in Malaysia.","icon":"<img alt=\"usericon\" src=\"http:\/\/comments.malaysiakini.com\/images\/defaulticon.jpg?1259228700\" height=\"40\" width=\"40\" \/>"},{"id":"26272","storyid":"117779","author":"scratchmeow","userid":"23396","date":"1258600123","content":"Well, yes and no. Whether a country is democratic or not may have very little to do with its economic growth. China is extremely un-democratic, with even more draconian laws prohibiting free speech and right to assembly, etc but yet is experiencing rapid economic growth. The GINI coefficient shows that the income gap has actually increased since the mass privatisations of state assets took place in the 1990s. Unemployment went up as the state sector downsized and standard, regular income-jobs gradually replaced with temporary\/casual non-permanent, non-standard, low-paying jobs. If Malaysia continues with its brand of hybrid nationalist free market capitalism, the income gap is only going to grow (just like in Latin America).","icon":"<img alt=\"usericon\" src=\"http:\/\/comments.malaysiakini.com\/images\/defaulticon.jpg?1259228700\" height=\"40\" width=\"40\" \/>"},{"id":"26232","storyid":"117779","author":"theng book","userid":"52688","date":"1258586442","content":"The challenge of our economy is, no doubt, the NEP that has dragged the growth of our economy significantly. It is a wonder that our country is still on track towards our 2020 vision since we still have such prejudicial policies and draconian laws,i.e ISA around. Not only the inequalities in our policies have held us back, our reputation will also remain tarnished. Problems such as brain drain, lacking of skillful workforce, corruption will continue to plague us till the end of days. As for now, our vision 2020 is and will just remain a mirage.","icon":"<img alt=\"usericon\" src=\"http:\/\/comments.malaysiakini.com\/images\/defaulticon.jpg?1259228700\" height=\"40\" width=\"40\" \/>"}]};