Author Archives: Tricia

Why an independent MACC matters

(First published in theSun here, on 7 January 2016). OVER the last few months, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has been one of the few government bodies undergoing tremendous pressure. Most recently, rumours circulated that its chief commissioner, Tan Sri … Continue reading

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Oil prices and a struggling budget

First published in theSun here, on 10 December 2015. THE 2016 budget came as a rude shock to some, since there were massive budget cuts in most of ministries, including education, energy, finance, urban wellbeing, housing and local government, as … Continue reading

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Governing GLCs in Malaysia

First published in theSun here, on 26 November 2015. LAST week, I was invited to speak at an OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) conference on the corporate governance of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), or in Malaysian terms, government-linked companies … Continue reading

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Tun Ismail: Up Close and Personal

First published in theSun here, on 12 November 2015. TUN Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman’s life in politics has in two previous books been deeply analysed by academic Ooi Kee Beng (in The Reluctant Politician: Tun Dr Ismail and His Time … Continue reading

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Public duty and private interest

First published in theSun here on 15 October 2015. A MONTH ago, Otto Perez Molina resigned as president of Guatemala following an investigation that he and his aides received bribes in exchange for lowering taxes for companies importing products into … Continue reading

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Minorities in an age of distrust

(First published in theSun newspaper on 1 October 2015, here). OVER the last week I spent in Paris under invitation of the French Foreign Ministry, almost every academic and official I met raised the refugee crisis and migration as the … Continue reading

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Opening up budgets

(First appeared in theSun newspaper on 17 September 2015, here). THE Auditor-General’s Office has found massive discrepancies in government spending for the longest time. While it is excellent that the auditor-general boldly reveals this year after year, it is important … Continue reading

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Whose cause is Bersih’s?

First published in theSun on 3 September 2015, here. MANY of my urban, middle class friends and relatives went for their first ever rally last weekend, joining tens of thousands on the streets of Kuala Lumpur in a festive parade, … Continue reading

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A prime minister’s powers

First published in theSun on 13 August 2015, here. THE news of the prime minister having removed the attorney-general and deputy prime minister; promoting the Public Accounts Committee chairman; and transferring several Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers shocked many people. … Continue reading

Posted in Corruption, General Politics, Public Administration, Transparency and Good Governance | Leave a comment

Why media freedom matters

First published in theSun on 30 July here. THE three-month suspension of The Edge Financial Daily and The Edge Weekly newspapers by the Home Ministry is a chilling reminder of a government that silences any form of critical questioning. The … Continue reading

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