When the New Economic Model (NEM) was first unveiled by the government, Prime Minister Najib Razak promised that it would be market-friendly, merit-based and transparent. Three years later, most business people have discovered that it is the same old model in new packaging — still not market-friendly, not merit-based and opaque. It is turning … Read more
CPI Introduction This is the second part of a three-part CPI series on Malaysian debt. The first part, entitled, ‘Investigate Malaysia’s debts now’ , surveyed the overall debt situation. This part examines the trend in government debt. The upcoming part, Malaysia’s debt: the misleading debt-to-GDP ratio will concern Malaysia’s total debt. Statistics reveal that in … Read more
This is the first part of a three-part CPI series on Malaysian debt. It analyses former PM Mahathir Mohamad’s claim that Malaysia’s debt is healthy. The following parts will consider respectively the trajectory of government debt and the shortcomings of the debt-to-GDP ratio used to appraise Malaysia’s debt level. Part 2 – ‘Malaysian government debt … Read more
KUANTAN, Malaysia—In the Internet era, even a 64-year-old retired math teacher can become a threat to a large company. That, at least, is the experience of Lynas Corp. For over a year, the Australian rare-earths mining company has come under fire from Tan Bun Teet and his band of tech-savvy campaigners on Malaysia’s South China … Read more
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) heretical interpretation of the Election Offences Act 1954 (the Act) on corruption is most alarming, and warrants an emphatic rebuttal. In the front page headline story of Sin Chew Daily yesterday (Feb 13), MACC’s deputy chief commissioner (Prevention) Sutinah Sutan was quoted as saying that for corruption offences committed during … Read more
CPI Introduction One of our readers sent this lament from an anonymous source of the way in which the racial factor works in this country and has been exploited by those that wield power. Although it may be read as an alarmist, biased and exaggerated analysis of how racial and religious dynamics are pushing the … Read more
As the curtain comes down on the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) and its demise as a force in Malaysian politics, Malaysians are being treated to demonstrations of desperate behaviour by the MCA top brass to show that they are still relevant. The latest is the attempt by MCA’s Deputy President Liow Tiong Lai to reach … Read more
Usaha membudayakan tabiat membaca dalam masyarakat telah disemarakkan lagi baru-baru ini dengan program yang dianjurkan oleh Kelab Peminat Novelis Ramlee Awang Murshid (RAMFC) sempena meraikan kelahiran novel ke-25 novelis berkenaan. Kelab tersebut telah menganjurkan sesiBaca@LRT bersama Ramlee Awang Murshid (RAM) pada 19 Januari 2013 yang bermula di Stesen LRT Gombak hingga ke hentian Taman Jaya. Lebih … Read more
Speaking at the launch of a book on the Malaysian monarchy, Malaysian prime minister Najib bin Razak said that the Malay Rulers “are above politics” (see ‘ Najib: Constitutional monarchy fosters stability, prosperity ’, The Malaysian Insider, 30 Jan 2013). He said that the Malaysian monarchy “provides a solid foundation” for turning Malaysia into a … Read more
The recent lifting of the ban on Hindraf has resulted in a flood of commentary about how this and other measures undertaken by Najib Razak and the Barisan Nasional government to recapture Indian support through various conciliatory measures may impact on Hindraf and the larger Indian population (see here ). The consensus among many commentators … Read more