“Leadership is a science and art”

Malaysia is a fast growing and as well an open state-oriented market economy. This is
because of the effect of the great leadership that was brought by the leaders of Malaysia.
Leadership has been defined by many scholars and it is subjective. There are many definitions
about leadership. In this new millennium era, leadership shall be defined as both art and science.
The effective leadership requires that by embracing both dimensions, it would come out great
achievements. The main rule is that leadership is about to make others follow the guidance
brought by the leaders. The science of leadership concerns the observation, research, study and
categorization of leadership practices, resulting in a steadfast justification of what makes leaders
successful. Volumes of research, opinions and books have been written on scientific leadership
methods and practices. In short the science of leadership is theoretical rather than arts. The art is
about developing practical experience in the application of the leadership practices and methods
resulting from the “science of leadership”. It can be said that the art of leadership is about
practice. When combining these two skills art and science, it would give complete results
towards leadership practice.

In context of Malaysia, the government spends more on education in order to produce

great leaders. The Ministry of Higher Education has encouraged the students to study hard since
they are in primary school to ensure they can further their studies in the universities. It is because
to train and teach them as well to make them prepared in facing the real life. Today, in Malaysia
there are more than hundreds institutions of learning in both East and West Malaysia. The
government has built many research universities such as University Science Malaysia. Now
IIUM is going forward to become one of them. All these universities and institutions are built in
order to produce great leaders in the future. The Ministry of Higher Education also has put
encouraged the students to join co-curricular activities since primary schools. This is because
they want the students to polish their skills of leadership and improve it by time to time. It can be
said that the learning process of leadership in class is more on scientific matters where it includes
study, research, and observation. It must be polished and practiced by joining the co-curricular
activities such as public speaking and debate where it involves the arts of leadership by
practicing the scientific skills. Today, the co-curricular activities are one of the requirements in
order to further their studies in the universities and in the universities level, the co-curricular
activities are one of the requirements to be completed with other subjects and also it will be
credited. This is because the skills of leadership must be improve and should not be stop in order
to get good results.

A natural born leader is a person who does not follow others, but instead walks his own
path for others to follow. To become a great leader, a person must start from scratch. Tun Dr
Mahathir Mohamed the former Prime Minister of Malaysia can be called as one of the best
leader in history of politician in Malaysia and he was well known around the world. During his
time ‘Wawasan 2020’ is the Malaysian’s vision in approaching towards to become a one of the
first class countries. He began his career as a doctor and later he became a politician by joining
UMNO. Several of transformation has been bought by him. In 1999 when Malaysia was hit with
economic crisis, he introduced the inflation in order to balance the economy and today we can
see many high buildings, supermarkets and trains in the city. Malaysia's rapid economic growth
and prosperity is reflected by the Petronas Twin Towers, the headquarters of the national oil
giant in Kuala Lumpur and, at one time, the tallest building in the world. The Petronas oil
company in Malaysia is one of main property in Malaysia. He introduced New Economy Policy
to develop and help the Malays to become successful. His great leadership in developing the
country’s economic growth and bring it back to the path of success cannot be denied as one the
greatest leadership skill ever. Now, Malaysia is known as the world's largest Islamic banking and
financial centre, and is one of the region's leading education and healthcare providers. Malaysia
is recognised as a newly industrialised country. Proton and Perodua the automobile national
companies had produced many cars made by Malaysia. It has already known locally and
internationally by the world. These national cars have been imported to many countries such as
U.K, Saudi Arabia and other develop countries. In the eyes of the world the most famous legacy
that Tun Dr. Mahathir has left to Malaysian are his mega projects that he built under his
leadership. For example KLIA which is one of the best international airport in the world.
Furthermore, he also built the modern administration capital in the country, Putrajaya as Kuala
Lumpur cannot longer became the administration capital due to rapid development in the city
centre. He also contributed in making history as there is first F1 circuit was built in South East
Asia which is located in Sepang and became the attraction of local and international visitors in
the year to watch the F1 Grand Prix.

The practices and methods that comprise the leadership science and art, requires
relentless practice and ongoing experimentation, until they become part of the leader, “an
extension of their arm”, so that their work, relationships and behaviours become intuitive. All
these achievements that compramise in both art and science field were due to the great leadership
of the leader. After the tenure ship of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed as prime minister which was
lasted in 22 years, the mission of ‘Wawasan 2020’ was continued by Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
In 2009, the theme “Pencapaian Diutamakan Rakyat Didahulukan” which means performance
now and people first, it is brought by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak as he bring
the slogan of 1 Malaysia after winning the general 12th election in 2008. He is the son of Tun
Razak second prime minister of Malaysia. He will continue the mission of ‘Wawasan 2020’ that
has been brought by Tun Dr. Mahathir. Lately in the newspaper, Datuk Seri Najib had launched
the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) which will create 3.3 million jobs by 2020.

These are all the effects of the leadership that has been trained and combined by the
science and the art skills of leadership. In 2003 Malaysia has introduced Perdana Leadership
Foundation with aspire of preserving, disseminating and developing resources by and on
Malaysia's past Prime Ministers. Consider that past leadership can yield valuable insights for
future developments. The Foundation's objective is to amplify consciousness and appreciation of
Malaysia's intellectual heritage. It is to enlighten the contribution of Malaysia's past Prime
Ministers in the social, economic and political development of the nation. It also will preserve
and do research on the art and science leadership skills that have been implement by those past
leaders in Malaysia and develop it to others. Hopefully the insight of ‘Wawasan of 2020’ will be
achieved as to make the Malaysia as one of the develop countries parallel level with other
develop Western and Muslim countries in the world.