Published: September 03, 2012
LAST week we were basking in another long weekend, only this time to mark our nation's 55th year of independence. A time when we reminisce the day Union Jack was lowered as well as honouring the sacrifices of those who made independence possible for Malaysians and its next generation.
Being born in the month and year when our country was declared independent, what better way to celebrate my coming of age than by participating in the Merdeka celebration march past! As I proudly walk the route designated for us together with the Chief Secretary to the Government and all secretary generals and heads of departments, I was feeling ecstatic waving to the King and Queen, Prime Minister and all other dignitaries.
I couldn't be more thankful to our forefathers and all the brave men and women who stood up against colonialism and fought for our freedom and rights that enable me to celebrate my birthday at the age of 55, taking that historical, meaningful Merdeka walk in my life's history. Many thoughts went through my mind during that Merdeka walk. For 55 years and counting, regardless of faith and colour, Malaysians stood united in preserving its rich culture, tradition and most importantly the beauty of freedom in the true spirit of 1-Malaysia.
As we look back and celebrate our great nation's history, we should also pause to reflect and ask ourselves what we have done to further safeguard this hard-earned dispensation. Sooner or later, we will bequeath this independence to our children. Thus, making it imperative for us to inculcate into our children the importance of protecting our territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Independence brings progress; and progress brings technology and innovation. During my long weekend break recently, I happened to watch Majalah 3, the longest-running magazine programme shown on TV3. It featured a story about how a pineapple farm owner in Parit Kemin, Johor, took a 360-degree turn to his pineapple farm through innovation.
After 17 years of weeding his farm using the conventional weeding machine which destroys an average of five to six pineapples a day, with a little creativity in mind he innovated his farming tools and later earned an additional income from his inventions on top of getting a high yield of pineapples.
He started with safeguarding his farm from uninvited pests by fencing his piece of land with a self-invented electric fence using solar energy. To avoid losing the five to six pineapples a day, he takes a step further by innovating a machine that weeds without affecting the pineapples. Based on the success of the first machine, he invented another seven to reduce the production cost of growing pineapples.
As one would expect, watching his success other pineapple growers by now request him to fabricate the weeding machine for them for which he sells his innovative creation at RM500 per machine.
So who says a farmer can't be an entrepreneur? With innovation, nothing is impossible irrespective of whether you are farmer or a fisherman.
Indeed, innovation has already started from the grassroots. This is a clear distinctive indication that we are heading towards the right path of graduating into a high income nation status as orchestrated by the government.
Coincidently, this grassroot innovation is one of the final high impact programme (HIP) under the SME Masterplan which is "Inclusive Innovation". This sixth HIP, intended to empower the bottom 40 per cent of the income pyramid, is aimed at promoting transformation of communities, including micro-enterprise in the rural areas, provided through handholding as well as provision of technical, financial and management support.
To migrate to an 'innovation' economy would require the inclusion and participation of all strata of society and enterprises of all sizes.
Through this programme, productivity of the low-income population will be enhanced and "B40 community group" will be assisted to access basic necessities such as utility services, housing, education, healthcare and telecommunication, all at low-cost but with better quality.
Essentially, this programme will be developed through a two-pronged approach which is innovation targeted at masses, which refers to products or solutions innovated by either our SMEs or large firms that help communities improve their quality of life. The "innovation at grassroot" approach refers to innovation by members of the communities which has already started, such as the one displayed by the pineapple grower.
The Inclusive Innovation Programme wraps up the six HIPs highlighted in the SME Masterplan. The plan which acts as a living document will chart the growth and development of our SMEs from now until 2020.
In our eagerness to move forward to meet the target we set ourselves of becoming a high income nation, let us be reminded that independence was won and not granted.
Therefore, each generation has a duty to protect and preserve our precious liberty.
The Patek Philippe advertisement aptly sum it up very nicely, "You never actually own a Patek Philippe. You merely look after it for the next generation."
Let us all do our part in taking care of beloved country for our future generation!
Having said that, l hope it is still not too late for me to wish everyone a Happy Merdeka Day! 55 years later, we are still going strong, living in harmony and striving towards doing our part in driving the nation to achieve greater heights of development!
Datuk Hafsah Hashim is the chief executive officer of Small and Medium Enterprises Corporation Malaysia (SME Corp Malaysia).
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