AT the International Conference on Public Policy and Leadership 2025 (ICPPL 2025), organized by the Institute of Public Policy and Management (INPUMA), University of Malaya, Dato’ Sri Diraja Zambry Abdul Kadir, the Higher Education Minister, entitled his inaugural speech “From Vision to Velocity: Aligning Purpose, Policy and Performance for National Progress”.
The speech comprehensively crafted the indispensable details of policy making and implementation, while emphasizing the urgency of implementation and outcome-based evaluation and monitoring of government policies.
“If we are honest with ourselves, we must ask: Why is it that we plan well, but often fall short when it comes to implementation and outcomes?” - he started. He found many cabinet-approved promising policies being stalled before creating any community impact. To him, some are even downgraded to “coffee table books”.
“The issue is rarely a lack of intelligence, imagination, or even political will. It is a deeper and more structural challenge — the challenge of converting strategic intent into tangible, timely results,” - Dato’ Sri added.
While comparing the ICPPL 2025 thematic keyword “megatrends”, Dato’ Sri reminded the participants of the “megathreats” of the current era by quoting Nouriel Roubini. In the era of polycrisis, the threats from geopolitical competition, technological disruption, climate risks, demographic pressures, to widening inequality not only exist but also reinforce and amplify one another.
Hence, he called for an urgent, coordinated action and system-wide reform, echoing the core message of Roubini, “decisive action is not optional”.
Referring to his experience at Harvard Ministerial Leadership Forum, Dato’ Sri reminded that “national aspirations mean little without aligned systems, institutions, incentives, and behaviours to deliver them”.
Referring to the work of Scott Belsky, “Making Ideas Happen,” Dato’ Sri reiterated that the true value in planning lies in the action of turning a concept into a reality, where “creativity without execution becomes complacency”.
With a word of caution, Dato’ Sri argued that “policies must be treated as projects — with objectives, milestones, accountability structures, timelines, and transparent review”. “Too often, initiatives are launched but not managed. Announcements are celebrated, but follow-through is inconsistent. Motion is mistaken for progress,” he pointed out.
Malaysia is blessed with talent, resources, and opportunities; hence, it is never short of visions, strategies, or policy blueprints. Therefore, the destiny must aim beyond “potential” to “performance”. To realise Malaysian’s aspirations, he urged an evolution from a culture of planning excellence to a culture of delivery excellence that requires a “Delivery Mindset”.
Building a delivery mindset will require three key shifts, he added: (1) from policy announcements to disciplined project management with a delivery team or champion, measurable outcomes, timelines, milestones, reporting routines, and learning loops; (2) from silos to shared accountability as public policy today must be viewed as a shared enterprise of collaboration, cooperation, coalition-building, and cross-sector alignment between government, industry, academia, civil society, and the environment; and (3) from activities to outcomes by creating real impact rather than remaing busy merely with meetings, committeesand roadshows.
A shared accountability for planning and implementing public policy means it is “no longer the monopoly of government — it is co-created”. Referring to the discussion with Datuk Anis Yusal Yusoff, Dato’ Sri highlighted that “co-created” public policy could also add “co-purposed” – a term coined by Datuk Anis.
With the participants, he recollected how in a world of polycrisis, success would belong to an adaptive leader who not only plans but also executes with speed, alignment, and courage. To him, in addition to other leadership attributes, an adaptive leader will have purpose with flexibility, listen deeply, decide decisively, and mobilize others with clarity and urgency.
An Adaptive Leader learns quickly without procrastination and hesitation, and is not paralyzed by the pursuit of perfection. An Adaptive Leader is able to pilot, iterate, refine, accept mistakes, and restart as necessary.
According to Dato’ Sri, “adaptive leadership builds trust and coalitions”. A delivery mindset for real delivery that depends on team effort (or a team sport) is steered by “leaders who communicate openly, share responsibility, and hold themselves accountable”. They are able to “ignite momentum — and momentum is how nations, organisations, institutions rise”.
Towards the end of his speech, Dato’ Sri reminded that “nations are not transformed by plans on paper, but by people with purpose who turn ambition into action”.
Hence, he wanted the participants to “choose urgency over complacency”. He wanted the participants to embrace the culture of “building not only policies, but possibilities, and not only plans, but progress”. - November 11, 2025
Prof Dr. Mohammad Tariqur Rahman is the Deputy Executive Director (Research and Development) International Institute of Public Policy and Management (INPUMA) Univeristy of Malaya
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