NIK MUSTAPHA:A HOLISTIC APPROACH NEEDED FOR REAL ECONOMIC PROGRESS

By Mahanum Abdul Aziz

KUALA LUMPUR, July 13 (Bernama) -- The government should take a holistic
approach in restructuring the society if the country is to see an economic
progress based on the betterment of the people.

Director General of the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM),
Nik Mustapha Nik Hassan, said efforts to develop the society through economic
growth alone will not only destroy human civilization but it would also fail to
deliver the country's sustainable economic growth agenda.

The law of nature points out that if the building of a society is centred
only on one aspect of human needs, the other aspects would be neglected, he
said.

In view of this, the planning of the country's development must be all
encompassing and the economic growth plan should be part of the overall
development policy.

"This approach requires Malaysia adopting one development plan that covers
all aspects including spiritual, education, culture, economy, family institution
and politics," he said at a seminar here Tuesday entitled "New Economic Model:
Review From Islamic Perspective".

Through such an approach, all aspects that affect the welfare of the people
would be planned and implemented in a comprehensive and integrated manner,
enabling the society towards building a rich civilisation, he said.

Nik Mustapha also said that the present global economic crisis was a result
of the non-holistic approach taken for economic growth.

If economic solutions are taken only through fiscal and monetary policies,
economic problems like unemployment and high cost of living would continue to
remain, he said.

The two-day seminar organised by IKIM will conclude Wednesday.
-- BERNAMA