Developing human capital for NST first

According to PM Abdullah whose interview with the foreign media is published by the New Straits Times today, his emphasis "has been on the development of human capital".

PM Abdullah is quoted as also saying: " You can give soldiers the best weapon but if they do not know how to shoot, what's the use?" (by the way, could DPM and Defence Minister please take note?)

In terms of pure concept and abstract theory, no one can seriously dispute what PM Abdullah has said although in concrete reality and in specific practices, there are many issues relating to the development of human capital in Malaysia that can be debated in the public.

One of such issues is, ironically, the development of human capital in the mainstream media like the New Straits Times. It has wasted the whole front page today just to advertise a very normal interview with PM Abdullah by foreign media whose contents contain no ideas of news value, while the truly and internationally newsworthy "Proton selling Agusta Motor for RM 4.48" appears only in page 2.

One does not need a MBA like Jeff Ooi or political economics graduate from truly First World universities like me to tell my friend Kalimullah Hassan that the editorial decision reflects the lack of development of human capital in the Umno media. Any rookie in journalism or secondary school bulletin board editor knows "Proton selling Agusta Motor for RM 4.48 " is more important and newsworthy than "Is a Parliament loaded with BN MPs bad for Malaysia? No, says PM", for the front page.

So, I say: "You can give mainsteam media editors the best printing presses and computers, but if they do not how to make professional editorial decisions, what's the use? "

I also said in my earlier entry titled International conference reporting (11 December 2005; 10.37 a.m) that "there is no point even if you have the best and latest models of tape recorders, computers, cameras and handphones if your minds are void of the relevant, substantive and real knowledge".