Tun Mahathir : Success of nation rests on its people

KUALA LUMPUR, May 3 (Bernama) -- The progress of a nation is determined not by the wealth of its natural resources but by the quality of its human resources, former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.
He said quality human resources which subscribe to noble values such as discipline, trust, diligence, sincerity, self-pride and high degree of knowledge would propel the progress of a nation although it may be poor in terms of natural resources.
"For example, the countries of the Persian Gulf were rich in oil since ancient times but they remained poor because they did not have the necessary human resources.
"If not for the foreigners who came along with their capabilities, the people of the Persian Gulf would have continued to be poor fishermen," he said in a lecture on "Human Resources Development in National Development" at the Syiah Kuala University in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. The text of his speech was faxed to Bernama here.
Earlier, Dr Mahathir received an honorary doctorate from the university for his leadership as the Father of Modern Malaysia and for the concept of economic development he had introduced.
Elaborating on the attributes necessary for quality human resources, Dr Mahathir said a disciplined people would be able to control their desires and self-interests because they abide by the law and follow the rules.
"The profit to be derived from abuse of power may be big and quick but it is not secure. A community of indisciplined people will not progress. In the end, those who are not disciplined will feel the disadvantages of such a community," he said.
Dr Mahathir said a community with self-pride would not resort to doing bad or unlawful things.
"We will not take what is rightfully not ours; we will not steal or accept bribes. We will not abuse our authority. More than that, we will try to do the best, including in our work," he said.
He said self-pride taught human beings to accept their weaknesses and not fear making mistakes, and at the same time it taught them to improve themselves.
"So long as we do not admit our mistakes, so long as we do not admit we have our weaknesses, so long as we are not prepared to improve ourselves, we will fail to develop the human resources that can develop the country," he said.
Dr Mahathir said that to become a developed nation, the people should discard the conservative culture for a progressive culture of wanting to improve something good without damaging it.
"A society or nation that is conservative, meaning it does not prefer change, may not progress as one that is progressive. While a conservative society wishes to retain the old methods and old standards, a progressive one prefers to pursue those that are better and more sophisticated," he said.
A country, to be progressive, must have an efficient administration based not only on noble values but also the capacity to protect members of its society, he said.
Only in this way can the country achieve economic and political stability which can contribute to the process of national development, he added.