Globalization: Deal With It

A long time ago, the west preached globalization to the world. How it will help the world as a whole, reducing inefficiency and other crap driving the same lane. This was when they were trying to push western brands over to this side of the globe. All was good when big names like Mc Donald's, Coca-Cola and Nestle reached our shores and almost immediately rendered all local brands obsolete.

Then the tides changed. These big companies realized there was a way to make more while spending even less than before: building plants here in the east and utilizing local labor for less than a dollar per laborer per day - greatly exaggerated figure, but you get my point. They would spend more on researching and developing machines to produce these products where even idiots can operate without any risks of mental decapitation. Monthly rentals costs more than what the companies pay in Thailand for a year, and one American's pay can be used for ten in Malaysia - again, you get my gist. So they had all plants in the west shut down and employees laid off. Indeed, they don't look too smart now. East Asia, especially, received so much foreign investments the 20 or-so years were named The East Asian Miracle. The miracle then ended with a historic fall in the late 90s. I'm sure we don't have to be acquainted with that incident. 

A decade has passed since this incident, and companies and employees all over the world have started to accept and play by this globalization game, carefully avoiding jagged edges. Every country will now basically specialize in one or two industries while leaving the rest up to imports from other countries. You wish!
Despite the said plan being the best way to maximize a country's funds and improve efficiency, that's not how it's headed. Individual countries still try their very best to make something of their own and throwing it in the world to see just how bad they perform. And when they don't do well, blame it on biased consumers. What bias is there in choosing between an RPG and a combat knife when going for war, and going for the former? A classic example would be Malaysia's Proton ( we don't talk about Perodua because they're just re-badged versions of Daihatsu, which in no way is local to me). Even after 28 years, the car maker cannot seem to propel themselves any further than West Port, Klang. In the words of every Business person, The World's Resources Are Limited. Therefore Proton is an utter waste of steel and plastic (more the latter). Give that to the Germans and they make you a Volks Wagen Golf GTi. It's like your mother insisting to cook, when she know all to well she can't, and have you hug the porcelain throne for hours after. 

Then there's the entertainment industry. Americans make Music, Motion Picture and TV Drama, while the UK does Football. These guys are the best in the world. Let us just forget 'Freedom of Passion' and stop spending what seem like pointless money on our local football teams and movie industry, and just admire the best available. May I then suggest we use that money to eliminate the only natural disaster we have here in Malaysia: flooding. Unless you call Faulty Traffic Lights a natural disaster. OK. Two natural disasters. 

So what are we good at? We're one of the few top contenders for the Service Industry in South East Asia, mainly banking. We're also good at rubber tapping and oil palm harvesting. And we're also very good at glorifying Nasi Lemak and charging consumers a bomb for a plate. Examples would be Madam Kwan ( seriously, who goes there unless to be seen going there?), Oldtown White Coffee and PapaRich. Just recently Singaporeans claimed rightful ownership to Bak Kut Teh, and I heard WTO rejected their attempt to register and own it. Maybe they went to the wrong O. You Singaporeans have everything! Besides an actual beach. Take Bak Kut Teh from us and both Klang and Tanjung Sepat will fall into eternal oblivion. 

I say focus on what we're good at, and leave the rest to the best. We, after all, have cheap labor and land prices compared to many parts of the world, and will still enjoy Foreign Direct Investments for at least the next few decades. That way we can use available resources and channel them to proper uses, and free up more disposable income to the People by taking away that ridiculous 300% Car Import Tax while increasing Spending Power. Beats building Putrajaya, I always say. But what do I know, I'm only a degree graduate no longer in practice.