Ramon Navaratnam
Encyclopedia
Tan Sri Dr Ramon Navaratnam is a prominent Malaysian economist. He is the former Transport Ministry Secretary-General and current Sunway Group corporate advisor. He is of Sri Lankan Tamil descent.
Ramon is also currently a member of the Malaysian Institute of Management (MIM) and the president of Transparency International Malaysia. He is a member of the National Economic Action Council (NEAC) Globalisation Committee and Director of the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (Asli).
“I ran errands, dusted desks, swept the floors, and dispatched letters to other government departments. Being eight years old and having to work for a living, you would develop a sensitivity to misery, hunger and people struggling for a living. You develop a compassion for the poor and marginalised," he said in an interview.
Ramon completed his secondary studies at Victoria Institution
, Kuala Lumpur
. He worked hard to earn himself a partial scholarship to the University of Malaya
in Singapore
, where he pursued a degree in Economics in 1959.
After graduation, he began working as Assistant Secretary in the Health and Social Welfare Ministry.
In 1969, he went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Public Administration at Harvard University
, Massachusetts
, on a full university scholarship.
He was at the time employed in the Economic Division of the Treasury and, upon returning, rejoined it. Shortly after, he became its deputy head.
In 1971 and 1972, he was selected to represent Malaysia as alternate executive director in the World Bank
in Washington DC.
His post required him to travel to South-East Asian countries, where he helped to brief officials on developments in World Bank policies and the progress of their applications for loans.
Ramon worked his way up to the posts of Deputy Secretary-General of the Finance Ministry in 1979, and then to his final posting within the Government, as Secretary-General of the Transport Ministry in 1986.
He retired from government service in 1989.
His work in Government brought him into contact with the Commonwealth Consultative Group for Technology Management (CCGTM) and the early development of its cooperative work in Malaysia, one result of which was the creation of the Malaysian Industry – Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) based on a “prospecting process” of which he is still a Director.
Tan Sri Navaratnam has played a significant and valuable part in many of the measures taken in Malaysia to create the economic growth and political stability for which it is renowned. He has also made important contributions to the recovery from the financial crisis of 1997. He is a regular contributor to the Media
Tan Sri Navaratnam is speaking at The OXCEL Business Conference: Success During Crisis www.oxcelconference.com on the 12 November 2008 and will be sharing his views on the 'Economic Outlook: What it means for you and me' it will be at the Securities Commission in Bukit Kiara. The conference is jointly organised by The Oxford Centre for Leadership (OXCEL) and Institut Bank Bank Malaysia. This conference was organised to address the political, economic and financial issues that are currently besetting the Malaysian economy.
Ramon is also currently a member of the Malaysian Institute of Management (MIM) and the president of Transparency International Malaysia. He is a member of the National Economic Action Council (NEAC) Globalisation Committee and Director of the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (Asli).
Background
Ramon says his empathy for those less fortunate was sparked in 1943, at the age of eight, when he began working as an office boy for the Japanese Road Transport Department in Ipoh.“I ran errands, dusted desks, swept the floors, and dispatched letters to other government departments. Being eight years old and having to work for a living, you would develop a sensitivity to misery, hunger and people struggling for a living. You develop a compassion for the poor and marginalised," he said in an interview.
Ramon completed his secondary studies at Victoria Institution
Victoria Institution
Victoria Institution is a premier secondary school for boys and one of the oldest schools in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The school is widely known as V.I. and a student of Victoria Institution bears the name Victorian....
, Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
. He worked hard to earn himself a partial scholarship to the University of Malaya
University of Malaya
The University of Malaya is located on a campus near the centre of Kuala Lumpur, and is the oldest university in Malaysia. It was founded in 1905 as a public-funded tertiary institution...
in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, where he pursued a degree in Economics in 1959.
After graduation, he began working as Assistant Secretary in the Health and Social Welfare Ministry.
In 1969, he went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Public Administration at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, on a full university scholarship.
He was at the time employed in the Economic Division of the Treasury and, upon returning, rejoined it. Shortly after, he became its deputy head.
In 1971 and 1972, he was selected to represent Malaysia as alternate executive director in the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
in Washington DC.
His post required him to travel to South-East Asian countries, where he helped to brief officials on developments in World Bank policies and the progress of their applications for loans.
Ramon worked his way up to the posts of Deputy Secretary-General of the Finance Ministry in 1979, and then to his final posting within the Government, as Secretary-General of the Transport Ministry in 1986.
He retired from government service in 1989.
Chronology
- Jan 6, 1935: Ramon Veerasingam Navaratnam was born to K.R. Navaratnam and Ruth Lee at the General Hospital in Kuala LumpurKuala LumpurKuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
.
- 1943: At the age of eight, Ramon got his first job as an office boy at the Japanese Road Transport Department in Ipoh, Perak.
- 1945: Began his primary one schooling at Anderson School in IpohIpohIpoh is the capital city of Perak state, Malaysia. It is approximately 200 km north of Kuala Lumpur on the North-South Expressway....
. He completed his secondary school education at Victoria InstitutionVictoria InstitutionVictoria Institution is a premier secondary school for boys and one of the oldest schools in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The school is widely known as V.I. and a student of Victoria Institution bears the name Victorian....
in Kuala LumpurKuala LumpurKuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
.
- 1959: Obtained his Honours degree in Economics from University of MalayaUniversity of MalayaThe University of Malaya is located on a campus near the centre of Kuala Lumpur, and is the oldest university in Malaysia. It was founded in 1905 as a public-funded tertiary institution...
in SingaporeSingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. He joined the Health and Social Welfare Ministry as an Assistant Secretary upon graduation.
- 1961: Posted to the Administration Division of the Treasury.
- 1964 - 1972: Transferred to the Economic Division within the Treasury, in which he held several posts.
- 1969: Earned his Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Harvard UniversityHarvard UniversityHarvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
- 1971 - 1972: Ramon was chosen to represent Malaysia as alternate executive director in the World BankWorld BankThe World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
in Washington DC.
- 1972 - 1978: Promoted to Under-Secretary in the Economic Division of the Treasury.
- 1979 - 1986: Posted to the Finance Ministry as Deputy Secretary-General.
- 1985: Ramon became the first government representative on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (now Bursa Malaysia) Executive Committee.
- 1986 - 1989: Posted to the Transport Ministry as Secretary-General.
- 1989: Became a member of the National Development Planning Committee. He retired from government service.
- 1989-1994: Joined Bank Buruh (M) Bhd as executive director/chief executive officer.
- 1994 - 1995: Ramon became executive vice-chairman of the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute in Kuala Lumpur. At this time, he was also appointed group corporate adviser to the Sunway Group – a post he still holds.
- 1996: Appointed as executive director of Sunway College.
- 1997: Published his first book, Managing the Malaysian Economy.
- 1997 - 1998: Became a member of the Special Education Committee in the Education Ministry.
- 1998: Released Strengthening the Malaysian Economy.
- 1999: Released Healing the Wounded Tiger: How the Turmoil Is Reshaping Malaysia.
- 1999-2000: Became a member of the National Economic Consultative Council.
- 2000: Released Malaysia’s Economic Recovery. Ramon was also awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws by Oxford Brookes University, Britain. He joined the National Unity Advisory Panel, of which he is still a member.
- 2002: Released Malaysia’s Economic Sustainability. He joined the National Economic Action Council.
- 2003: Released Malaysia’s Economic Challenges.
- 2004: Released Malaysia’s Socio-economic Challenges. Ramon became a member of the National Higher Education Council.
- 2005: Released My Life and Times: A Memoir.
- 2007: Appointed an Advisor to Enterprise AsiaEnterprise AsiaEnterprise Asia is a regional non-governmental organization founded in 2006 by a group of entrepreneurs headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with local offices in Hong Kong SAR, China, Singapore, India, Indonesia and Thailand currently...
, an NGO based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Contributions
Ramon Navaratnam played an important role in the economic development of Malaysia. His 30-year career in the public sector and 15 years in banking and business enable him to offer both a broad perspective as well as an insider’s view of management practices in these different sectors.His work in Government brought him into contact with the Commonwealth Consultative Group for Technology Management (CCGTM) and the early development of its cooperative work in Malaysia, one result of which was the creation of the Malaysian Industry – Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) based on a “prospecting process” of which he is still a Director.
Tan Sri Navaratnam has played a significant and valuable part in many of the measures taken in Malaysia to create the economic growth and political stability for which it is renowned. He has also made important contributions to the recovery from the financial crisis of 1997. He is a regular contributor to the Media
Tan Sri Navaratnam is speaking at The OXCEL Business Conference: Success During Crisis www.oxcelconference.com on the 12 November 2008 and will be sharing his views on the 'Economic Outlook: What it means for you and me' it will be at the Securities Commission in Bukit Kiara. The conference is jointly organised by The Oxford Centre for Leadership (OXCEL) and Institut Bank Bank Malaysia. This conference was organised to address the political, economic and financial issues that are currently besetting the Malaysian economy.