Nation Building

Official Visit by YB Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui

Addressed by Tan Sri Lim at Limkokwing University, Cyberjaya
6 April 2006

May I begin by extending a personal warm welcome to all, especially the Minister, Yang Berhormat Datuk Peter Chin for taking time to be with us today.

With this visit by the Minister coming just three days after RMK9 was presented by the Prime Minister, I think we can expect what the Minister has to say will be very much a part of the national agenda as we move the country forward under RMK9.

The formalization of an MoU today between MTIB and this University, which incorporates both the Malaysian Design Innovation Centre and the Malaysian Branding and Packaging Design Centre, could not be more timely.

As an enabling instrument, this collaborative platform will open up new possibilities in 4 important areas of strategic development:

• The rebranding of Malaysian timber and the industry as a whole.
• The building of pivotal human capital to result in enhanced competencies.
• The orchestration of creative thinking to result in innovation.
• And D & R that will result in continual build-up of industry competitiveness.

There can be no doubt that this strategic alliance will result in a more innovative timber industry.

The world today is divided into to 2 groups of nations – those with the capacity to innovate and those without.

Countries that innovate progress and become richer. Countries that do not, regress and become poorer. It is a reality that everyone must now take seriously, including everyone in this country.

It is the innovation gap that divides the rich from the poor countries.

Here, let me mention some startling comparison:

100 of the world′s best selling brands earned more than the combined GDP of 100 of the world′s poorest nations.

The richest 50 million people in the developed world have the combined income of 3 billion poor people living in the Third World.

On the opposite end, we have 1 billion people living in poor countries will no access to electricity, 3 billion have no access to sanitation and 4 billion have never heard a telephone dial tone ever.

50 poor countries grew poorer over the past 10 years and more poor countries will become poorer over the next 10 years.

Innovation, in simple terms, is about making changes in order to move forward. It′s about making progress. It′s about enabling evolution and empowering transformation. It is about knowing what must be learnt, and doing what must be done.

The world′s most advanced nations are the world′s most inventive, most innovative. They are the world′s wealthiest and strongest nations.

Without exception, all have well developed creative centres that provide effective on-going R & D support and creative services to their industries.

Without exception, all consider creativity and innovation a strategic driver of their national competitiveness.

Without exception, the Governments of these nations are the prime facilitator in their drive for creativity and innovation.

In Europe, design creativity is regarded as the most important drive fro enhanced quality and productivity.

In the US, they have already moved from knowledge economy to innovation economy, a move from knowledge economy to innovation economy, a move designed to stay ahead of the global competition.

In order to complete well, Malaysia simply must become one of the most innovate economies in the world. There can be no other option.

As we know it, innovation happens where it is encouraged. Therefore, creating the right conditions; building the right environment, and ensuring the right ecosystem is pivotal to making it happen.

I am very pleased that the Prime Minister has greatly emphasized strategic knowledge, creativity and innovation as primary drivers not only of economic but also of societal development.

And I am delighted that the Prime Minister has consented to the establishment of the Timber Innovation Centre jointly by MTIB and this University as part of our joint effort to gather momentum as we move forward. This clearly is another important step forward for the timber industry.

Malaysia is today a major producer and exporter of timber and timber furniture. But our share of the global timber products market is actually rather insignificant. Our growth potential therefore is tremendous.

Clearly, one of our major weaknesses is the lack of attention given to creativity in application.

As well, there is a lack of appreciation in our consumers and therefore preference, for timber in a broad and general sense. This must come as a surprise to many as the country itself is well known for its timber.

We are blessed with more timber than most countries could imagine. It is rather sad that in spite of our magnificent forest heritage, and the very wide range of timber that we have, many in this country hardly know the true value of this God-given commodity.

Timber is widely seen today in the country as an inferior substitute for other material in the building industry and the built-environment.

Timber has been relegated sadly by many to the bottom of priorities, from designers to specifiers and managers. This is an unhealthy situation where knowledge is little and where appreciation is even less.

Timber is not allowed in some shopping complexes because they see is as a cheap substitute for carpet and floor tiles. This is as sad as it is true.

This erosion of confidence in and preference for timber must be arrested, and the appreciation and desire for things timber must now be reinforced and reinvigorated.

This must be conscientiously, continually and professionally done, it′s too important to be left to chance.

In Malaysia, we often debate about our lack of progress because we have a relatively small population. However, if you were to look at recent research on the most innovative countries in Europe, Sweden was ranked no 1, Finland no 2 and Denmark number 4. Sweden has a population of less than 9 million, and both Finland and Denmark less than 5 million each.

It is no coincidence that Sweden spends more on education per capita and the highest percentage of GDP on R&D than any other European country.

As we know it, all these three Scandinavian countries are world famous for sophistication in furniture design and everything else that they produce.

These tiny nation have transformed themselves into global giants entirely on the power on innovation and creativity.

We must now focus on creating a more vibrant and complete ecosystem that will promote and encourage creative thinking that leads to innovation.

We must provide reasons for the next generation to come together in the promotion of this cause and purpose. We must build to enlarge our talent pool, and put to better use creativity that comes from our cultural diversity.

We must now build for this nation a big passion for innovation.

Every Malaysian must be made to understand that every hectare of our forest provides this country with added wealth.

Every tree that we fall provides our people with employment.

Every effort that we make to protect our magnificent forest heritage and eco-system will provide added value to our economy for generations to come.

On that note, and on behalf of all on this campus and in this hall, I thank the Minister once again for making this visit, and for making the partnership between the Ministry, MTIB and this University a reality. May I reassure the Minister that what we are able to do will be done.

Thank you for the opportunity.