Author Archives: Tricia

Fresh Water Offers

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Tricia

Fresh Water Offers (from theSun, 22nd February 2013) Over the recent weeks, the water wars between the Selangor government and water distribution company Syabas have intensified. Following the Wangsa Maju water pump breakdown, eight-page A4-sized booklets titled Selangor Water Crisis! – … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Selangor, Water | Leave a comment

The Economy of Handouts

Posted on February 9, 2013 by Tricia

The Economy of Handouts  (theSun, 9th February 2013) During a recent handout event of BR1M 2.0, or the 1Malaysia People’s Aid, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said this proved the Barisan Nasional government was a champion in administering the country … Continue reading →

Posted in Corruption, Economics | 1 Comment

Curing the healthcare system

Posted on February 1, 2013 by Tricia

Curing the healthcare system (From Penang Monthly, February 2013) Photograph: epSos.de/Flickr Previous articles in this column have elaborated at length on the highly centralised system of government in Malaysia where, despite being a federation, the “federated states” of the country … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Healthcare, Public Administration | Leave a comment

Don’t Muddy the Water Issue

Posted on January 25, 2013 by Tricia

Don’t Muddy the Water Issue (From theSun, 25th January 2013) The water saga between the Selangor government and water operator Syabas took another turn in the latest episode of the Wangsa Maju pump station fiasco that affected more than 27,000 … Continue reading →

Posted in Corruption, Economics, Selangor, Water | Leave a comment

A Neutral Public Service

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Tricia

A Neutral Public Service  (From theSun, 11th January 2013) As a public policy researcher, filmmaking was the last thing I thought I would venture into. But having received a grant and opportunity from a local NGO, Pusat KOMAS, last year … Continue reading →

Posted in General Politics, Human Rights, Public Administration | Leave a comment

The Personal and the Professional

Posted on January 8, 2013 by Tricia

This article first appeared in Selangor Times in January 2013. Yet another Malaysian incident has made it into international news. The Wall Street Journal, amongst other newspapers since, has reported on Bank Islam’s suspension of Azrul Azwar Ahmad Tajudin after … Continue reading →

Posted in Elections | Tagged | Leave a comment

State Budgets 2013: The last for now

Posted on January 4, 2013 by Tricia

State Budgets 2013: The last for now Photograph: Benson Kua It was a fairly significant moment when the Selangor and Penang Pakatan state governments tabled and passed their final budgets of their first five-year term in power for the year … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Selangor | Leave a comment

Time to Take Stock

Posted on December 28, 2012 by Tricia

Time to Take Stock (From theSun, 28th December 2012) Former President of the United States Bill Clinton would use a Nasa-loaned moon rock, carbon-dated 3.6 billion years old, to help him gain perspective on things, saying, “We’re all just passing … Continue reading →

Posted in Elections, General Politics, The Cause | Leave a comment

The PAS conundrum – or is it really?

Posted on December 22, 2012 by Tricia

The PAS conundrum – or is it really? (From Selangor Times, 28th December 2012) At a recent policy dinner at St. Mike’s, a cozy Ipoh restaurant, I spoke of civil society, reform issues and my experience of having worked at … Continue reading →

Posted in Ethno-Religious Politics, General Politics, Religion | 1 Comment

Governing from the Bottom Up

Posted on December 14, 2012 by Tricia

Governing from the Bottom Up (From theSun, 14th December 2012) The recent public war of words between former Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan and his ex-colleague Datuk Ramli Yusoff over criminal links, abuse of power and political connections … Continue reading →

Posted in Public Administration | Leave a comment