Muslim Countries Should Provide Good Governance, Says Dr Mahathir

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 13 (Bernama) -- Muslim countries should provide good governance to ensure they can compete with other developing countries and also in giving a good image of Islam, said former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad. He said it was about doing all the right things, avoid the wrong things and doing anything damaging or a hindrance to the progress of the people of the country. "A good government must always care for the people. The leaders are not elected, chosen, or inherit leadership so that they can enjoy life with many privileges. "A leader is expected to lead his people and provide them with a good life. A leader must also always be caring," he said in his keynote address entitled, 'Good Governance, Viable Investment Climate, Sound Philosophy" at the opening of the Al-Muntada Al-Islami Ninth Annual Multaqa (Convention) here Monday. The three-day convention which started Sunday is organised by Al-Muntada, in collaboration with IFP Advisors Group Malaysia. The Al-Muntada Al-Islami Trust, an independent organisation originally established in the United Kingdom to cater for the local community, has several centres worldwide. Citing Malaysia as an example, Dr Mahathir said at the time of independence, 70 per cent of the workforce was unemployed and thus the government decided to provide job opportunities by switching from agriculture to industry. “The strategy was very successful in creating jobs and so much so eventually Malaysia had to import workers from around the region because so many job opportunities were created through the foreign investments in the country,” he said. He said the policy resulted in the people becoming more prosperous along the way and the country grew because of foreign and domestic investment and it was the environment created that made it happen. “I hope Muslim countries will remember the role of providing good governance and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) can also help by providing education and training whilst the government creates jobs through attracting investment," he said. -- BERNAMA