YABhg Tun Dato' Seri  (Dr.) Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid and YABhg Toh Puan, Senior Member of AIM Board of Governors and YABhg Toh Puan

 H.E. Ambassador Victoriano M  Lecaros, Philippines Ambassador in Malaysia and Mrs. Melissa Lecaros

Madam Narzalina Lim,
Member of AIM Board of Trustees

YBhg Dato' Haji Sarip Hamid,
Member of  AIM Scientific Research Foundation Board of Trustees

YBhg Dato' Ng Tieh Chuan
Chief Executive Officer of MPH Group and Datin

YBhg Datuk Ir. (Dr.) Mohd Annas Hj Mohd Nor      President of Kelab AIM Malaysia and Datin

Ladies and Gentlemen

1.    I must first extend my thanks to Kelab AIM for this most unexpected award. I receive it with much humility. My achievements have been humble and I suppose, in the same vein as President Obama’s Nobel Prize, it is an award in recognition of work to come. I am in awe of my predecessors at the Ministry of Finance. Their service to this beloved Nation of ours is exemplary. I pray to Allah S.W.T. that I am given the fortitude and strength to ensure my deeds will do justice to that of my illustrious predecessors.

2.    Nevertheless, we must be reminded that we have much to be grateful for. Our fundamentals are strong and our recovery from the global economic crisis, steady. Our country’s economic and social-economic positions are now poised to move forward into a new era of its evolution. Under the leadership of our YAB Prime Minister, a new economic model will be introduced to transform Malaysia into a high income economy. On the social-economic front, since the introduction of Gagasan 1 Malaysia, we are seeing progress in the inculcation of acceptance, mutual respect and trust amongst all Malaysians.

Ladies and gentlemen

3.    It is in this regard that our management skills will need to be further developed beyond the confines of the corporate environment. We are already seeing what was essentially a private sector management tool, KPIs and KRAs, being adopted and adapted for our public sector. The corporate sector’s lines of responsibility will blur over time. There will be greater demands on the private sector to accept greater responsibility in the development of the communities they operate in. Corporate social responsibility will cease to be a programme that is managed by and budgeted from Corporate Communications. CSR will be an integral component of our policy and decision-making processes. I would also expect there will be higher levels of self-regulation across many industries. Our biggest challenge of all would be the development and management of our human capital. Demand for talent will exceed supply.

4.    All these would mean that our management skills would be truly tried and tested. The tools that we have been employing may be obsolete. These factors would not only impact the private sector but also increasingly the public sector. There will be a greater need for higher levels of transparency and correct governance. The delivery of public goods and services would need to be comparable to those that of the OECD countries. If we are truly to be a high-income economy, this is not an option.

Ladies and gentlemen

5.    When I attended the MDP Programme in 1982, l had no expectations or hope of holding such a high office. I am privileged to be in my current seat. AIM had been instrumental in preparing me to this position. The time that I spent at AIM opened up my mind, widened it and I saw a bigger world for me to explore. Since then, I have been honoured to serve as a Parliamentarian and a Deputy Minister, both at the Ministry of International Trade and Industry and Ministry of Finance and now, the Minister of Finance II. I have every confidence that AIM will continue this proud tradition in the ability to produce leaders for Asia’s future.

Ladies and gentlemen

6.    As I stand here this evening, I am proud to say that as a member of this Government, I am given the opportunity to influence the course of development of this Country. For this, I thank YAB Prime Minister for his trust and confidence in me to bear this responsibility. In this regard, I ask for your support and friendship for which will be invaluable in the days to come. I would also like to acknowledge the fact that I will not be standing here if not for the comfort and support of my wife, Fauziah, my four sons and grandson, all of whom have been the source of my strength and inspiration. It is to them, our children and grandchildren, yours and mine, that I dedicate my service to. With Allah’s grace, insyaallah, I bear this responsibility well.

7.    Thank you again to Kelab AIM for recognizing the little that I have done and I am grateful for the recognition given.

Thank you.