PM: How can you compare grape with an apple?
Government Efficiency: Malaysia Sixth Best In The World, Says PM
PUTRAJAYA, Jan 28 (Bernama) — The Malaysian government’s efficiency is improving and rated sixth best in the world in 2007, compared to its eighth placing in year 2000, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.
Quoting the World Competitiveness Year Book, released by IMD, a Switzerland-based leading global business school, Abdullah said Malaysia which was measured in the group of countries with a population of 20 million and above, was ranked better than the United Kingdom, Germany, Thailand, Spain, Japan, Russia and France.
“Above us are China, Canada, the USA, India and Taiwan,” he said when addressing about 8,000 civil servants at the 8th Civil Servants’ Premier Gathering (Mappa) here Monday.
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Congratulations! 
We are ranked better in the group of countries with a population of 20 million and above.
An extra question here, What is our rank in the overall economic competitiveness rankings?
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In his message, Abdullah also urged the people not to compare Malaysia with Singapore, which he said was in a different category altogether, including in economy.
“They are grape…and we are apple. How can you compare grape with an apple? We can’t,” he said, adding that as long as Malaysians instilled the spirit of “Malaysia Boleh” in themselves, anything was possible.
Just curious, but, we compare with UK and other countries. An apple and an orange? Singapore is ranked 2nd however Malaysia is ranked 23th in the overall economic competitiveness rankings. What he is trying to tell us here?
Overall economic competitiveness rankings for The World Competitiveness 2007 by IMD, 2006 rankings (out of 61 countries and regions) are in brackets.
1. USA (1)
2. Singapore (3)
3. Hong Kong (2)
4. Luxembourg (9)
5. Denmark (5)
6. Switzerland (8)
7. Iceland (4)
8. Netherlands (15)
9. Sweden (14)
10. Canada (7)
11. Austria (13)
12. Australia (6)
13. Norway (12)
14. Ireland (11)
15. China Mainland (19)
16. Germany (26)
17. Finland (10)
18. Taiwan (18)
19. New Zealand (22)
20. United Kingdom (21)
21. Israel
22. Estonia
23. Malaysia
24. Japan
25. Belgium
26. Chile
27. India
28. France
29. Korea
30. Spain
31. Lithuania
32. Czech Republic
33. Thailand
34. Slovak Republic
35. Hungary
36. Greece
37. Jordan
38. Colombia
39. Portugal
40. Slovenia
41. Bulgaria
42. Italy
43. Russia
44. Romania
45. Philippines
46. Ukraine
47. Mexico
48. Turkey
49. Brazil
50. South Africa
51. Argentina
52. Poland
53. Croatia
Pdf file for the WORLD competitiveness SCOREBOARD 2007, IMD.
TechTags Plugin [ IMD | World Competitiveness Yearbook 2007 | grape | apple ]
January 29th, 2008 at 3:00 am
I have written exactly the same thing! LOL.
I can’t believe such statistics/claims, hence a little googling wil reveal that our Badawi is nothing but a big liar, lying to all the gullible civil servants, who would probably take his words that w re BEST in the world!
KJ: We are ranked 6th in the group of countries with a population of 20 million and above. HOWEVER, he doesn’t tell our rank in the overall economic competitiveness rankings. They forget we have internet nowadays, many information can be found from there. They are actually under estimate the Internet or the other way round. People should doubt what had be told by the authorities especially GE is around the corner. Always double check the “flowering” information. BUT, how many of us are doing that?
February 29th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Why can’t Malaysia be compared to Singapore?. Singapore is an offshoot of Malaysia and both countries share common cultural and social background. It is pathetic to know Malaysia with its vast natural resources could not be on par with Singapore who has none. Don’t tell me there is nothing wrong with our government. Perhaps in the next 10 years, Vietnam will surpass Malaysia in per capita GDP.