I have several remarks to make on Vision 2020.

Firstly, experts from outside only give us an alternative view which we must examine critically before implementing. They do not understand our local conditions. We have our local experts who should also be consulted.

However, with the present state of mind in the country in which alternative views are seen with deep antagonism, I doubt we can make it. We cannot have sound advice and have prejudice in its implementation. Our stumbling block is our prejudices, racial or otherwise. Don't expect experts to endorse your personal views.

The government must be prepared to rise above its petty views and have critics come in to help. My question is: can the government and the politicians do this? If not, let's forget the whole exercise.

Secondly, we have to look at our blind spots. This is important. We must have brainstorming sessions to specifically look for them and then correct them. Throw away our mental baggage to reach for development. The important thing is that alternative views may reveal some blind spots. I see many glaring blind spots in our country which no one has the political will to correct.

Thirdly, let us look at the development of Japan. If you reads Akio Morita's book, you will notice that the Japanese look for problems to solve in the development of products. Do not look for easy jobs.

We are always asking for technology transfer and this shows we want to make money without working for it. The rich men will pay for the technology and pay professionals to run the plants for them which means there is no R&D culture.

This is the 'me too' mentality amongst our businessmen in our country. Thus, we stumbled from palm oil refineries to golf courses, to rubber gloves, to private hospitals and now to private universities. All paths of easy money.

Fourthly, looking at China. After Deng Xiaoping instituted his reforms in the 1980, China has been seeing double-digit growth since. That's in just 25 years. When did we achieve Independence? In 1957, which is 48 years ago.

Compare us with China. I will not comment further. We all know the answers. If we continue to live our lives with blinkers on, we cannot blame anyone for our own failures.

To talk about the NEP and achieving a 30 percent share of the wealth sounds myopic to me. If the third-rate politicians are allowed to continue with this propaganda to get elected, the electorate deserve what they get. By continually shouting these slogans, they actually give the bumiputeras a sense of inferiority complex.

We are only less than half a percent of the world population. Why don't we open our eyes and look at the other 99.7 percent of the world market instead of looking just at the wealth of the Chinese in Malaysia.

The solution lies with the politicians and the people. Or we can just make another New Year's resolution.