THE CICAK.com

About Tan Sri Ramon V. Navaratnam

One of the few bold and consistent Malaysian voices on socio-economic reforms, Tan Sri Ramon V. Navaratnam tackles the question which all concerned loyal Malaysians harbour in their minds: Quo vadis or “Where to, Malaysia?�

Tan Sri Navaratnam was directly involved in the formulation of many major public policies during his distinguished career in the civil servant – from the New Economic Policy in 1970 to the preparation of Annual Budgets and Economic Plans – until his retirement from the government in 1989.

Since then, he has continued to serve in the National Economic Consultative Council and the National Economic Action Council working groups and other non-governmental agencies.

With this vast experience in government service and now in the private sector, the author presents a critical yet balanced perspective on the core socio-economic issues underlying national unity which will have an impact on the long-term future of our country.

Quo Vadis: Where to, Malaysia? addresses these hard issues and provides solutions for the challenging management of what he calls “one of the most complex and complicated societies.� It is available in all major Malaysian bookstores.

An avid writer, Tan Sri Navaratnam has authored the following books:

1. Managing the Malaysian Economy (1997)
2. Strengthening the Malaysian Economy (1998)
3. Healing the Wounded Tiger: How the Turmoil is Reshaping Malaysia (1999)
4. Malaysia’s Economic Recovery (2001)
5. Malaysia’s Economic Sustainability (2002)
6. Malaysia’s Socio-economic Challenges (2003)
7. Winds of Change (2005)
8. A Memoir: My Life & Times (2005)

Tan Sri Navaratnam was appointed as a member of the Human Rights Commission (SUHAKAM) in April 2002 and again in April 2004. He was elected as the president of Transparency International Malaysia in March 2006. His charity work extends to serving on the Board of the National Kidney Foundation, the National Liver Foundation and the Malaysian Community Education Foundation.

Tan Sri Navaratnam was educated at the Victoria Institution, Kuala Lumpur, and at the University of Malaya in Singapore, where he obtained B.A. (Hons.) in Economics. He obtained his Diploma in Public Administration from the Royal Institute of Public Administration in London in 1963 and then his M.P.A. (Econs) from Harvard (U.S.A.) in 1969. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from Oxford Brookes University (U.K.) in 2000.

In 1959, he joined the Malaysian Civil Service and has held several posts during his 27-year career in the Malaysian Treasury, including that of Deputy Secretary-General of the Treasury. He was promoted to Secretary-General of the Ministry of Transport in 1986. Furthermore, he served as Alternate Executive Director of the World Bank in Washington between 1970 and 1972. After retirement from government service in 1989, he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Bank Buruh from 1989-1994.

Currently, Tan Sri Navaratnam is the Corporate Adviser of the Sunway Group, Deputy Chairman of Sunway College, Director of Monash University, Director of the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (ASLI) and Non-Independent Executive Director of Sunway Construction Berhad, a member of the Court and Council of the Malaysian Institute of Management (MIM) as well as Deputy President of the Institute of Management Consultants.

In addition to his illustrious professional track record, he has been vice-chairman of the Malaysian Business Council, a member of the Malaysian External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), Director of the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) and a member of the National Economic Consultative Council (MAPEN II). He was vice-president of the Malaysian Association of Private Colleges (MAPCO), vice-president of the Malaysian Economic Association, and the vice-president of the Harvard Club.

A former member of the National Economic Action Council (NEAC) Education Brains Trust, Tan Sri Navaratnam is now a member of the NEAC Globalisation Committee, and of the NEAC’s Public-Private Sector Consultative Committee. He also sits on the National Unity Advisory Panel of the Ministry of National Unity and Social Development.

He will be judging theCICAK’s “Write It!” Competition 2006.