Think tanks good for ideas

MUCH has happened since the new government took office after that historic victory in GE14. Many announcements have been made especially on how the election promises contained in the Pakatan Harapan manifesto would be delivered.

One initiative that can be considered transformational is the establishment of the Council of Eminent Persons. The Government should be congratulated on this move.

It is also encouraging to note that the members of the Council are truly prominent Malaysians who have served the country well in their own field of expertise.

There are many Malaysian professionals who have retired from active service in the private and public sectors. Though they may have retired, the nation can still tap their experiences.

A think tank is one plausible platform where such professionals can still actively contribute to the country. There are a number of think tanks in the country now, the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) being among the more established ones. The Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM), a think tank set up more than 20 years ago, has also established a reputation as a leading advisory group on science.

In many countries, especially those with developed economies, think tanks are valued as a useful source of constructive ideas to support nation building. Ideas can include strategies on growing the economy, policies to motivate a healthy science and innovation development and policies on sustaining social cohesion, just to name a few.

But they can only be useful if they are independent, objective and, most importantly, above politics. Their opinions should not be silenced just because they do not agree with the mainstream views. After all, it is now an acknowledged fact that great ideas of the past were rooted in dissenting views.

This is what critical thinking is all about. Such thinking should be nurtured from an early age in the education system. The school curriculum should seriously consider incorporating think tanking lessons for students even at the primary school stage.

There is now no doubt in most people’s mind that the nation is entering a new era. For the academic community, the most welcome news is the promise by the government to revive academic freedom in the universities. There are clear signs that the repressive Universities and University Colleges Act would most likely be done away with, or at least the parts that stifle academic freedom of expression.

Many would agree that R&D is a critical investment in the innova- THE STAR, TUESDAY 10 JULY 2018 tion-led global economy. But R&D is not just for the development of knowledge leading to technology and products. R&D is also for the development of knowledge to support policy formulations. Think tanks can therefore be considered as institutions that conduct research to contribute towards policy making. This clearly means that investing in think tanks is important.

Many are relieved that the new administration is actively undoing the negative policies of the past. Freedom of expression is seen by many as a major breakthrough which can positively contribute towards nation building. The think tank entities in the country should be tapped as an important source of ideas. They should be allowed to speak without fear too!