‘Cultural diversity has not hindered Malaysia’s progress’
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has shown that being multi-cultural has not hindered its development, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
“Malaysia is a model of development success in a culturally diverse society,” said UNDP permanent representative Dr Richard Leete.
Dr Leete was commenting on Malaysia’s 59th ranking among 177 countries on UNDP’s human development index (HDI) based on three basic human development indicators – life expectancy, literacy and the gross domestic product.
He was speaking after the Human Development Report 2004 for Asia-Pacific region was launched here yesterday.
Despite falling one place from last year, Malaysia’s HDI value improved from 0.790 last year to 0. 793.
It is still ahead of all other Asia-Pacific countries except Japan (ranked ninth), South Korea (28th), Singapore (25th) and Brunei (33rd).
Norway was ranked the best while Sierra Leone has again been ranked the last.
Dr Leete said there were few countries with a similar multi-ethnic population as Malaysia that matched its speed and level of progress.
“It will be difficult to name half a dozen countries with such a track record of improving the lives of its people in such a context,” he said.
On reports that Malaysia’s affirmative action had not improved race relations, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Mustapa Mohamed, who was also present, said the New Economic Policy included various groups in the political and economic development of the country.
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