RSOG Insight 6-2017
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ISSUE 6 • DECEMBER 2017 RSOG INSIGHT I N T E G R I T Y. C O U R A G E. I N N O V A T I O N . C H A N G E IN THIS ISSUE 02 APEC VOICES OF THE FUTURE 2017 By Au Chong Yee and Faitz Aqira Nordin 06 WHAT TO LEARN IN 2018? By Ismail Johari Othman 09 BOOK RECOMMENDATION: By Ismail Johari Othman Flying High, My Story: From AirAsia to QPR by Tony Fernandes Article APEC VOICES OF THE FUTURE 2017 By Au Chong Yee and Faitz Aqira Nordin Representing Malaysia as youth delegates addition, youth awareness is needed as in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation there should not be any differences and no Voices of the Future (APEC VOF) never one should be left behind in any situation crossed our minds and the opportunity at any time. In fact, after we spent a week given by Razak School of Government in Da Nang, Viet Nam, everyone was able (RSOG) to be a part of this economic forum to work together. was a golden one. With the theme ‘Creating New Dynamism, Fostering A All of these episodes started after we flew Shared Future’, we brought with us a large from Kuala Lumpur to Da Nang on scale of hope from Malaysia to the world. November 5, 2017. We went full of passion We realise that youths are the engine of and with fiery spirits, but Da Nang the nations that will drive the future and welcomed us with heavy rain and storm. that at this level, a good structure of Our flight was bumpy and rough; Typhoon preparation should be in place to make Damrey was hitting Viet Nam badly. We sure the youths are moving towards the heard about the typhoon from the same objectives by the same paths. APEC weather forecast a few days before we left VOF is an annual programme that allows for Da Nang, but there were no changes special teams of young people and on the tentative programme. From the educators from the 21 APEC Economies to airport, we were transported to our attend the APEC Summit. By working and accommodation in Hoi Anprovince, which learning together, the APEC Voices teams took about 45 minutes’ drive. Since the can share their views on the APEC vision hotel was located on the beach and the with APEC Leaders, Senior Officials, ABAC1 storm was very bad, we spent our first day Members and CEOs. By participating in the indoors before proceeding to the process, delegates are given the rare orientation and ice-breaking that very opportunity to engage in dialogues with night. There, we met the economies from top policymakers and foster cooperation all APEC member countries. This year, 17 and prosperity in the classrooms and countries sent their youth delegates. We communities of the Asia-Pacific Region. In took the chance to get to know each 1 APEC Business Advisory Council - the sole non-governmental entity that has an official role in the APEC Economic Leaders’ Summit through a formal dialogue 2 other before being separated into four amongst youth in the Asia Pacific Region.” groups, particularly for group discussions on With the message “the more we share, the the second day and for the APEC CEO more we have”, we were able to convince Summit rotation. other delegates that togetherness is the main key point to create an inclusive On the second day, we were brought to economy. We were asked by the media The University of Da Nang for the next about the preparedness of Malaysian agenda which was the youth forum. APEC youths in supporting APEC’s goals and VOF2017 was launched by His Excellency shared, “Before they make the steps Mr. Le Quoc Phong, First Secretary of Ho forward, we should guide them right now, Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, followed provide knowledge and information about by a keynote address and dialogue with APEC’s economies so that they can make Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, the UN Under- the best contributions to the development Secretary-General Executive Secretary, of the Asia-Pacific Region”. The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific On the third day, we visited Quang Nam (ESCAP) and Member of UN Secretary- Peace Village and Tam Thanh Mural General’s High-Level Advisory Board on Village for a community engagement Mediation. The topic was Promoting session. Quang Nam was one of Vietnam’s Sustainable, Innovative and Inclusive two central provinces badly affected Growth amongst the youth in the Asia during the Vietnam War. The Quang Nam Pacific Region. In the keynote speech, she Peace Village was established with the stressed the importance of VOF because it objective of nursing and providing helps young Vietnamese understand many rehabilitation for the disabled veterans and things. For example, the presence of a their descendants who suffered from typhoon as they were preparing for the diseases associated with exposure to APEC meetings, highlighted the issue of Agent Orange/Dioxin. Meanwhile, Tam climate change. She emphasised three Thanh Mural Village is a cultural exchange main challenges facing APEC economies: project between Vietnam and South Korea climate change, a changing world where under the hands of talented Korean economy (with one of the main concerns artists, Tam Thanh Mural Village has more being technological disruption), and than 100 pictures highlighting the daily life inequality. Later, we had a presentation of the fishing village people and its lively session by one representative from each and colourful landscapes. Between the APEC Member Economies where in our fourth and sixth day, we joined the most capacity as representatives of Malaysia, important agenda and the peak of this took the opportunity to voice out our event, APEC CEO Summit held at Ariyana thoughts on the topic “How to create new Convention Centre, Da Nang. There were dynamism and foster a shared future numerous dialogues and sessions on a 3 variety of topics that connected to this everyone can grow. On the relevance of year’s theme. One of the topics that APEC after 2020, he said that APEC will only attracted us most was on Resource be relevant if prosperity is shared by all. In Efficiency and Sustainable Growth. One of addition, the Prime Minister of Papua New the speakers in the panel, which included Guinea, His Excellency Peter O’Neill was representatives from the oil and gas also part of the panel discussion at the industry, was the 37-year-old New Zealand APEC CEO Summit as the country will be Prime Minister, Her Excellency Jacinda the APEC Chair next year. He talked about Ardern. She spoke about her government’s the forum’s future and today’s issue from role in managing the issue, highlighting that his economy’s unique perspective. He climate change is happening now, thus highlighted challenges like climate needing mass support to save the change and leftover infrastructure, which is environment. It is not an easy task, but she hindering upliftment of living or growing insisted that it could happen if there is their economies. Similarly to other leaders, strong cooperation between government he believes in inclusive growth. Despite and businesses to provide the right set of globalisation bringing people and incentives to drive change, including communities around the world together, better and smarter use of regulation to he insisted to not leave people behind. He encourage innovation and more efficient also suggested that APEC needs to build a use of the resources to benefit all. It was bridge in ensuring that people in poverty also shared that she wants to stop be brought into the middle class and to subsidising fossil fuels as she believes that have security in their families and their lives. by keeping prices artificially low, fossil fuel Other notable leaders who spoke included subsidies encourage wasteful the President of the United States, His consumption, disadvantages renewable Excellency Donald Trump, where he energy and decreases investment in credited Malaysia’s achievement in terms energy efficiency. “We must phase them of economy and development and out”, she stressed. China’s President Xi Jinping where he focused on international collaboration and Another much awaited session was the economic inclusiveness, praising the result keynote speech by the President of the of an increasingly connected world. He Philippines, His Excellency Rodrigo Roa also referred to China’s massive plan to Duterte, who was invited to speak at the connect the world by stating “China will APEC CEO Summit in his capacity as Chair not slow its steps in opening up itself. We will of the Association of Southeast Asian work together with other countries to Nations (ASEAN) for 2017. He quoted that create new drivers of common globalisation should pave the way to equal development through the launching of the distribution of wealth and that it should Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).” create an inclusive environment where 4 Finally, APEC VOF 2017 was able to deliver Overall, youths as leaders of tomorrow are our views on the theme, which was one of the keys to create new dynamism handed over to all the country leaders. We and foster a shared future. We were were given the opportunity to represent pleased to see that Malaysia our country to draft a declaration together acknowledged the importance of youth with youth from other countries. The sub- contribution towards nation building as themes include youth contribution to APEC one of the policies ‘National Vision 2020 and beyond; Economic, social, Transformation 2050’ is working towards and financial inclusion; Human resources that direction. We are also looking forward development in the digital age; Start-ups, to being the host for APEC 2020 in Malaysia.