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Lima, 3 to 10 February 2017
Interview to Chuah Teong Ban, Ambassador of Malaysia
How to build a competitive country
Malaysia, multiethnic and pluricultural, is one of the most competitive countries in the world and the safest in South East Asia and the Asia Pacific region.
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With the aim of serving the growing interest in East Asia, we interviewed Malaysian Ambassador Chuah Teong Ban, who explains to us how his multiethnic and pluricultural country have achieved the unity of its people and is moving towards development.
How do you perceive the relations between Peru and your country during your tenure?
The relationship between Malaysia and Peru has always been good, friendly and cooperative. There is a lot of understanding at the political level. Trade relations are also improving year by year.
Culture brings people together because it helps us understand each other and broaden our knowledge. Which activities have your Embassy carried out in the cultural field?
We have promoted our culture through some events. For instance, last year in coordination with the Municipality of Lima we taught Malaysian language to students with high academic performance. We also organized classes in Malaysian gastronomy and traditional dances.
Malaysia is a multiracial, multicultural and multireligious country, how did you achieve national unity?
The maintenance of harmonious national unity in Malaysia has not been easy and smooth sailing. It involves a lot of close understanding and tolerance between the various ethnic and religious communities. The main instrument of national unity that bound us together is our Federal Constitution, clearly spelling out the fundamental liberties, such as equality, freedom of religion, free practice of one’s mother tongue, practice freely one’s culture heritage, right to education and also to property.
Your Government is a Constitutional Monarchy, can you explain to us how this system works?
There are nine sultanates in Malaysia, but there is only one King position. Therefore, every five years the Council of Rulers, comprising the nine Sultans, will elect a king among themselves to head the constitutional monarchy. This system allows each sultanate an opportunity to be the Head of the State of Malaysia.
Malaysia is one of the most competitive economies in the world and the safest country in South East Asia and the Asia-Pacific Region, how did you achieve this?
Malaysia has become competitive because we have been an open trading nation since our independence 60 years ago. Malaysia’s economic growth is driven by the Foreign Direct Investment. In order to attract this investment, Malaysia has to be cost competitive centre, high in the ease of doing business, transparent in decision making, and a safe country for investment as well as for personal security. To maintain that privilege, Malaysia continuously upgrades its good physical infrastructure, develops an efficient banking system, and creates a liveable environment.
The sustainable growth of your country is mainly based in three pillars: productivity, accumulation of capital, and technological progress. Nonetheless, the human capital is its greatest achievement. What can you tell us about this?
Human capital has been an important economic progress to Malaysia. In Malaysia people live in harmony. Present society has unified in its cultural diversity and this has become an asset for those companies that want to invest abroad. For example, if a Malaysian company wishes to invest in China, India or the Middle East, Malaysian people have the capacity to adapt themselves and understand the mindset of those cultures. We don’t need to be trained because we have a global understanding, it’s inherent in us and we speak the languages of those countries and know their realities.
What is the situation of the trade exchange between our countries?
Bilateral trade between Peru and Malaysia is growing, but the quantum is still less than USD 200 million. The prospect of increasing the total trade volume is bright in the future. Regular trade missions organised through the cooperation of trade chambers in both countries could be considered.
What is your national vision for 2030 and 2050?
Malaysia had the long-term goal to become a developed country by 2020. This goal was known as “Vision 2020”. There are three years left and we are close to reaching our goal. Nonetheless, we need to go beyond. In fact, two years ago our Prime Minister proposed a new perspective called “National Transformation 2050”. With this, we expect the total amount of foreign trade to grow from 1.4 trillion ringgit to 2 trillion ringgit by 2050. That is in the economic aspect. As a national vision, we expect to be recognised as a top 20 country in the world in terms of GDP and purchasing power.
What is your message to young people?
I’m always happy to meet young people because I believe that they will be the leaders of tomorrow. Young people should be creative and innovative, but also respectful and disciplined.