Oman on right track
DIVERSIFICATION: Sultanate can learn from Malaysia model
The Sultanate’s potential for growth, complemented by peace and stability, will be “unfathomable” if it fully utilises its natural resources, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, former prime minister of Malaysia, has said.
Addressing the media at the Third Duqm Society and Economy Forum 2017 held under the auspices of His Highness Sayyid Asaad bin Tareq al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for International Relations and Cooperation Affairs, Personal Representative of His Majesty the Sultan, Dr Mohamad said the Sultanate has an enviable landscape that can be exploited for its development.
“The Sultanate has exquisite features that make it unique and different from Malaysia. While we have agriculture and forests, Oman can be proud of mountains and deserts that can be taken advantage of,” he said. Speaking to the reporters, HH Sayyid Asaad said that the Sultanate under the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos is moving on the right track towards diversifying sources of income and developing non-oil sectors.
He hoped that the Sultanate could benefit as much as it can from the Malaysian experience. He described the Malaysian model of development as a ‘successful one’ and that the Sultanate can benefit from it.
Dr Mohamad said: “Oman has valleys, sandy beaches and attractive waterways that Malaysia does not enjoy. A strategic approach to utilise (resources) the way it is currently done will be a stepping stone for this country to move to the top.”