One of the challenges facing Malaysia amidst its economic development is the achievement of a critical thinking society. This would enhance and guarantee the success of research and development programs in addition to having other socioeconomic effects. This paper covers the following topics: Vision 2020, Malaysia's goal to reach developed nation status by the year 2020; Malaysia's educational system; the role of the government/educational system, school libraries, teachers and schools, public libraries, parents, and schools of library and information science; methods of achieving a critical thinking society; information literacy and systematic information skills; characteristics of a critical thinker; and recommendations for the educational system, information skills program, curriculum, and research. Two appendices consist of considerations for critical thinking skills for school and classroom management, and a diagram of issues related to the implementation of the information skills program. (Contains 17 references.) (SWC)