Category Archives: Transparency and Good Governance

Opening up budgets

Posted on September 25, 2015 by Tricia

(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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A prime minister’s powers

Posted on August 17, 2015 by Tricia

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 →

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Why media freedom matters

Posted on August 3, 2015 by Tricia

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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Nothing to hide

Posted on June 19, 2015 by Tricia

(First published in theSun on 11 June 2015, here). IN our A-Level English literature classes, we used to describe Shakespearean comedy as “someone else’s tragedy”. Such is the case of the most recent public relations disaster to have befallen our … Continue reading →

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On the 11th Malaysia Plan

Posted on May 19, 2015 by Tricia

Bloomberg Malaysia interviewed me today on the 11th Malaysia Plan that is due to be tabled in Parliament on Thursday, 21st May 2015. This is the final 5-year plan before Malaysia is due to achieve Vision 2020 five years from … Continue reading →

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The rise of regional politics

Posted on May 19, 2015 by Tricia

(First appeared in theSun on 14 May 2015, here). THE second biggest piece of news emerging from the UK in the last two weeks (the first being the arrival of Princess Charlotte, according to some social media feeds) was not just … Continue reading →

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In pursuit of freer trade

Posted on April 10, 2015 by Tricia

First published in theSun on 9 April 2015, here. IT IS significant that Malaysia is chair of Asean this year, at the end of which the Asean Economic Community is to be fully implemented, at least according to the blueprint. The … Continue reading →

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To whom is the IGP accountable?

Posted on April 7, 2015 by Tricia

(Written on 31 March 2015, and not published elsewhere). Last Monday evening, one of our IDEAS National Unity Youth Fellows, a young student from Universiti Malaya, heard that a few of his friends were arrested at the anti-GST protest in … Continue reading →

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Follow the money

Posted on March 22, 2015 by Tricia

First published in theSun here, on 19 March 2015. AT its annual report launch last week, Bank Negara deputy governor gave a relatively healthy assessment of the country’s economy. So glowing was the report, however, that several members of the … Continue reading →

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Oil and a more open budget

Posted on January 15, 2015 by Tricia

(First published in the Edge Malaysia on 12 January 2015, here). THE budget department of the Malaysian Treasury could be spooked by the current low price of crude oil that has fallen by almost half since Budget 2015 was announced, … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Oil and Gas, Public Administration, Transparency and Good Governance | Leave a comment