Category Archives: Economics

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

The AES in Pakatan Rakyat states

Posted on December 8, 2012 by Tricia

The AES in Pakatan Rakyat states (From Penang Monthly, December 2012 issue) The Automated Enforcement System (AES) has emerged as another issue which the Pakatan-led states, namely Penang, Selangor, Kedah and Kelantan, have come to a common policy agreement not … Continue reading →

Posted in Corruption, Economics, Selangor | Leave a comment

Dear Dr. Mahathir, we do seek greater reforms

Posted on November 30, 2012 by Tricia

Dear Dr. Mahathir, we do seek greater reforms (From theSun, 30th November 2012) Dear Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun Mahathir Mohamad, In your address to the 2012 Umno General Assembly earlier this week, you stated that the Barisan Nasional has “pandered” … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil Society, Corruption, Economics, Human Rights, The Cause | Leave a comment

The Economy and Political Interference

Posted on November 17, 2012 by Tricia

The Economy and Political Interference (A version of this was published in theSun, on 16th November 2012) In the World Bank’s Doing Business Report 2013, Malaysia’s rank improved by two spots, now placed as the 12th most competitive economy in … Continue reading →

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

A Budget’s Responsibility

Posted on October 6, 2012 by Tricia

A Budget’s Responsibility (A version of this was first published in theSun on 5th October 2012) Over the past two weeks, several documents were unveiled for public scrutiny. Prime Minister Najib Razak tabled the 2013 Budget for debate in Parliament … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Public Administration | Leave a comment

GLCs Crowding Out Investment

Posted on September 22, 2012 by Tricia

GLCs Crowding Out Investment (A version of this was first published in theSun on 21st September 2012). Deep structural changes are urgently needed to improve the country’s competitiveness, chief of which is dealing with government-linked companies (GLCs) that are presently … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Public Administration | Leave a comment

Not easy housing Malaysians

Posted on August 25, 2012 by Tricia

Not easy housing Malaysians Photograph: Ong Ee Lynn One of the most controversial subjects in Malaysia is the issue of home ownership. How are Malaysians earning low wages to afford a house of their own? How is the government at … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Public Administration | Leave a comment

Dark look at the country’s financial situation

Posted on August 18, 2012 by Tricia

Dark look at the country’s financial situation (First published in Selangor Times, on 17th August 2012). In the lead up to the 13th General Election, economic issues will inevitably be hotly debated by all sides of the political divide. It … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics | Leave a comment

Money Better Spent

Posted on July 28, 2012 by Tricia

Money Better Spent (A version of this was published in theSun on 27th July 2012). ‘Inside Job’ is a brilliant and incisive documentary that dissects the American financial industry for what it was: one huge scam, and a system that … Continue reading →

Posted in Corruption, Selangor, Water | Leave a comment

Penang Port in peril?

Posted on July 23, 2012 by Tricia

Penang Port in peril? Photograph: Ong Ee Lynn The social costs involved in privatisation of public goods have been obvious since this lazy man’s method of nation building became the fashion in the 1980s. In Malaysia, despite huge losses to … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Federalism, General Politics | Leave a comment