(Re-)Think(ing) Tank(ing): A Founding Statement

Whenever a new think tank outfit emerges, there may be several questions anyone would ask – What is this? Who is behind it? Why are these people doing this? What expertise do they bring? Do we need yet another think tank? And whatever for? Valid questions with no straightforward answer. Nonetheless, we will attempt to explain our position and why we started this.  

Why

.. there is a lack of constructive criticism in the public space, creating a growing absence of checks and balances that form the key ingredient of matured democracies.

Think tanks play a crucial role in providing policymakers with the necessary information based on analysis with facts and data derived from research, sentiment, and comparison with best practices elsewhere, all of which are necessary in making the right decisions.

After successive changes in (Malaysian) governments in the last decade, the local think tank scene seemed to have slowed. Research priorities have become corporate-centric with less scrutiny on issues that relate to day-to-day decision making. Several of our contemporaries which were once critical of public policy issues have become less vocal, leading to a vacuum in advocacy. As a result, there is a lack of constructive criticism in the public space, creating a growing absence of checks and balances that form the key ingredient of matured democracies.

We also see a gap in awareness in many aspects of public decision making and believe more must be done to bridge said gaps. Malaysia’s diversity, while a source of strength, is a contributory factor to this lack of understanding - stemming from differences in ethnicity, language, religion, and socioeconomic circumstances, creating an atmosphere of distrust and the absence of empathy which in turn influences our opinions and decisions. The same perspective can also be applied to geopolitics with growing divides among nations leading to a multipolar world and a rebalancing of the global order. The public’s level of knowledge and understanding of the world around us must be enhanced to bridge the divide and to create greater empathy for others. This will lead to more informed public discourse and the formulation of policies that serve the interests of all segments of society.

Who we are

The people at FIKIR have a vision to see a world where all individuals have opportunities to pursue better standards of living within peaceful and developed societies that are governed by the rule of law and strong value systems. This requires effective public policies that serve as a key foundation for proper governance. FIKIR’s role is to provide a means to discuss how these systems can be enhanced and to think of public policy solutions.

The people behind FIKIR come from diverse backgrounds, areas of knowledge and expertise, and industries – educationalists, leadership trainers, research analysts, NGO activists, members of civil society, and corporate leaders. One thing we have in common is our involvement in various forms of nation-building activities. Combined, these attributes form a yearning to do more and an urge of finding ways to challenge the status quo to improve the quality of life for our fellow man.

Motivations for establishing such an outfit are derived from several factors – part idealism, part ego, part frustration, and part optimism. Idealism rooted in the belief that effective public policies will continue to play a role in the development of nations, ego with the confidence in the quality of our ideas, frustration towards the lack of progress due to “various” institutional factors, and optimism that the society we live in can improve.

What sets us apart is our inclusiveness. Additional care is taken to ensure the voice and opinions of others are taken into account, providing the public with a forum for healthy discourse. While our own panel of fellows and experts are at the ready to provide timely insight, FIKIR is dedicated to going the extra mile to ensure that its analysis takes account of the opinions of all segments of society, including the voice of youths, as the public policy process is an exercise that involves us all.

"Effective public policies will continue to play a role in the development of nations."

Many think tanks are founded to champion a certain agenda depending on the background of their founders and parent organisations. FIKIR starts off as an education policy-centric think tank as education and knowledge lay the foundation for the future. However, an effective think tank cannot be confined to a single area of expertise. Hence, FIKIR will also discuss other key issues including politics, governance, economics, and other matters that concern public interest. FIKIR’s efforts also are not confined to local issues as we take interest in developments elsewhere across the world.  

To new beginnings

We have chosen an exciting time to start off our activities. An intensifying conflict in the Middle East leading to an oil crisis that threatens to cripple the global economy, growing realist sentiment in the West, and apparent de-globalisation, just to name a few. Domestically, sociocultural issues have soured over religious-related matters. In education, Malaysia’s PISA scores have continued to fall below the OECD average – yet, the government saw fit reduce budgetary allocations to towards education. The political scene sees equally high levels of excitement with the founding of new parties, pending state elections, and the re-emergence of “old, unsavory political tactics”. Such times present opportunities for much needed discussions and dialogue, to question, and come up with solutions to steer policies back on the right path.

Starting a think tank in 2026 comes with several challenges. The world has become increasingly emotionally driven where people are less convinced by evidence and facts, preferring instead to follow a narrative that appeals to sentiment. Reading long policy briefs and reports is a luxury for the average time deprived individual could afford in an environment where everything vies for attention. Social media personalities have more influence and are trusted over qualified experts. In fact, growing populism has caused otherwise credible experts to be frowned upon with suspicion. Culturally, we operate in an environment with little tolerance for criticism, regardless of whether or not it is constructive. Of course - there is also the “AI factor”, where anyone can become an instant intellectual and public information is mixed with questionable generative content. A think tank, just like any organisation, must adapt - not by compromising its ethical values, research quality, and methodology, but presenting a multi-generational audience with appealing ways to engage, dissect, and comprehend complex issues that affect them.  

At the point of penning this statement, FIKIR finds itself with humble beginnings. We do not yet have a major financial backer and there is only a handful of us to cover a wide range of issues. Perhaps our ambitions and ideals are bigger than common sense. However, Francis Drake once said that “Big things have small beginnings”. We want to make a difference and will do our best to bring about positive change. Watch us as we play our own part in nation-building. Thank you for your support.