Education important for a talented 2057 generation, says Najib
[NATION 5-Nov-2007]
Malays must place emphasis on starting their children's education early to produce a talented “2057 generation” to steer the nation to greater achievements, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malays must place emphasis on starting their children's education early to produce a talented “2057 generation” to steer the nation to greater achievements, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.
Umno can contribute towards this goal through early childhood education because the present two- to four-year-olds will cross from 2020 and become the generation of 2057, he said.
“It's only when we become a developed race (that) we can be confident,” he said at the Third Malay Agenda Seminar: Malays 2057 – First Series: Politics at the Putra World Trade Centre here yesterday.
In advanced countries, two-year-olds, and sometimes even younger children, join planned education processes, he said.
“Perhaps their learning techniques are different. They focus on fun learning but, more importantly, they believe that the process to build a person must begin early,” he said.
To succeed, there must be the spirit, the strategy and priority and the building of a civilisation based on the Malay culture and Islam.
He said Malays were still expecting handouts and did not pay back study loans but if they want the nation to be developed then their mindset must change.
“No matter what nice plans we have, if the Malays don't have a noble culture it is not possible for us to rise in the world,” he said.
“We may want big houses, expensive cars, imported furniture, but the most important thing is to invest in education.”
In his speech, Najib said it was not easy predicting what might happen in 50 years. Before that, Malaysia will have to go through several challenges.
“We will be at a big crossroads in 2020 because what we do after that will be based on whether Malaysia is declared a developed nation and, even if it is, whether the Malays will be a developed race,” he said.
However, the Government's development plans were to make the Malays a developed race, he said.
Najib said that the Government is also hoping to create “Melayu glocal” – Malays who are globally successful, have great personalities and live their lives according to Islam Hadhari.
He also said the efforts to make Umno attractive to the young is important because members must always refresh Umno's image so that it is always seen as a dynamic party.
The establishing of Puteri and Pemuda Umno and Umno clubs overseas were examples of Umno reinventing itself, he said.
