Expression of support for Dr. Lim Teck Ghee

While this isn't directly related to the issue of education in Malaysia specifically, it is a sad reflection of the wider intellectual environment that currently exists in Malaysia. It was reported in the Star today that Dr. Lim Teck Ghee, the director of ASLI's Center for Public Policy Studies, is resigning over disagreements with ASLI's President regarding ASLI's controversial report on Bumiputra equity ownership.

I've met Dr. Lim once, over the past summer when I returned to Malaysia for my summer break. He came across as an intelligent, capable and sincere person with a conviction of wanting to make a difference in Malaysia by trying to influence public policy. He is immensely qualified having worked on a variety of development issues in the region, is extensively published (just search his name on scholar.google.com and has a breadth of international experience (his previous attachment was with the World Bank).

While I may not agree totally with the methodology of calculating bumi equity ownership in the ASLI / CPPS report, I think that this issue needs greater publicy scrutiny and debate, which did occur as a direct consequence of that report.

It is sad to see when an accomplished academic and thinker such as Dr. Lim is not given sufficient space to advance scholarship and contribute to public debate, at least not within the confines of ASLI / CPPS. I wish him well and hope that he will remain in Malaysia and continue to contribute to scholarship and public debate.