PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia must transform or risk becoming a failed state, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
Transformation could only happen when three things were in place, Najib said when delivering his inaugural Razak Lecture,
"The active participation and input of all stakeholders, an environment in which key players are ready and able to take on the challenge and the readiness to embrace the culture of always reaching far above and beyond.
"It is no longer affordable or intelligent for us to be satisfied with the way things are," he said.
Earlier, the prime minister had launched the Razak School of Government (RSOG) at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC) here.
Also present was Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan, who is also the chairman of RSOG's Board of Trustees.
Najib said an institutional and structural change could only happen when leaders not only understood what needed to be done but have the integrity, humility and determination to take the nation to the next level.
He said a world class leadership was not merely there to lead but to inspire others to follow.
"It requires the capability of making the right decision with fully informed reasoning, seamless execution and outcome-driven mentality.
"To do this, we need to cultivate a knowledge-based public service. Thus, our immediate challenge is how to ensure that talented and knowledgeable Malaysians out there will contribute towards the nation becoming a better country to live in.
"The establishment of institutions like RSOG, I believe is to pre-empt, react and to respond to these questions. The School was founded on two main thrusts -- leadership and knowledge," he said.
The prime minister said transformational leadership coupled with knowledge, capacity and capability was the golden formula for creating an environment that was conducive to effective problem-solving and innovation.
Najib said it was vital that institutional and structural transformation was guided by a clear, comprehensive and commonly accepted vision of the fundamental principles that should shape the new public service.
"By working in partnership across government agencies, the public service creates a networked governance environment whose aim is the delivery of public value.
"The creation of a people-centred and people-driven public service is a must if we want to see the structural change happen," he said.
Meanwhile, when launching the RSOG, Najib said the setting up of RSOG was a great honour to him and his family because it was named after his father, the late Tun Abdul Razak, who was Malaysia's second prime minister.
The RSOG is envisioned to be a catalyst for intellectual and professional grooming of the nation's future leaders across all service sectors.
RSOG's vision is to be a global institution engaging in cutting edge research, teaching and training in public leadership, public policy and public service in Malaysia as well as internationally.
It has a mission to train high-potential public leaders in coming up with innovative solutions to the most pressing public problems in Malaysia and the region. - Bernama
