ASIAN COUNTRIES WILL MAKE TREMENDOUS PROGRESS IN 21ST CENTURY

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 17 (Bernama) -- Dr Mahathir Mohamad is confident of Asian
countries making tremendous progress in the 21st century.

The former prime minister said it was expected that Asia would continue to
grow and dominate the world in the 21st century as the region had been the
centre of the world, long before.

"With higher population in Asia, better productivity, improvement in
qualities, innovativeness and inventiveness, you can see Asia growing in the
21st century," he said in a special lecture on 'Asia and 21st Century' at the
Asia-Europe Eminent Persons Lecture Series here Monday.

He said, some Asian countries like Japan, South Korea, China and India, had
shown progress in their respective areas.

For example, Dr Mahathir added, the Japanese did copying, but had improved
very quickly to become more innovative than the people who originally introduced
them to the modern industries.

"As you know, the Japanese began their efforts by copying. People looked
down on the Japanese because they were noted for copying European products and
producing very poor quality products.

"But now, nobody will accuse the Japanese for producing poor quality
products. They produced their own products and their products are so good," he
said.

On China, Dr Mahathir said they adopted the western capitalisation for the
economic part but retained their old authority government.

"China, 20 years ago, was so backward. Singapore's then-prime minister Lee
Kuan Yew told me before, not to be afraid of the Chinese, because they are very
backward.

"Now, I am afraid of China. They have become manufacturers of everything the
world needs," he said.

India, Dr Mahathir said, would be involved in the information technology
(IT) sector but it would take a little bit of time because of bureaucracy in the
country.

"They will make tremendous progress in the IT world because everything now
is going to be digitalised. Indian software is extremely good," added the former
prime minister.

-- BERNAMA