A GOOD TIME TO TRANSFORM NATION'S ECONOMY

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 15 (Bernama) -- The current global economic slowdown
provides an opportunity for the government to fundamentally transform the
nation's economy, Asian Strategy And Leadership Institute (ASLI) president,
Mirzan Mahathir said Thursday.

"It is also an opportunity to well position the economy to take advantage of
the eventual return of global demand," he added.

The silver lining, he said of any economic crisis, is the opportunity to
force through measures that would not have been possible in a rampant growth
economy.

He explained that while there was much to be done, some measures could be
quickly implemented while others required careful planning with robust and
enlightened execution.

"We have to recognise our failings, our structural impediments, our
inability to compete, as well as the unique positive attributes of our people,
our institutions, the dynamism of our private sector, our environment and our
location," he said at ASLI's 11th Malaysia Strategic Outlook Conference 2009
here.

Malaysia, he said is well positioned to emerge stronger from the economic
malaise ahead of the pack, and in a stronger and more competitive shape that its
peers.

"Leadership that is strong, committed and pragmatic, in both the public and
private sectors, will make the big difference," he noted.
-- BERNAMA