Dr Tham Siew Yean is a Visiting Senior Fellow at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute and Professor Emeritus, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
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Tham Siew Yean
Articles by Tham Siew Yean (21)
Repurposing Fuel Subsidy to Facilitate Malaysia’s Shift to Electric Vehicles
Tham Siew Yean|Kevin Zhang
Malaysia seeks to ensure the poor benefit from fuel subsidies rather than the rich, but rationalisation can also contribute towards sustainability. The savings from the removal of fuel subsidies can be directed towards developing renewable or low-carbon alternatives, thereby contributing to meet Malaysia’s pledge to be “a carbon neutral country by 2050 at the earliest”.
Sarawak’s Hydrogen Ambitions Constrained by Global Demand
Tham Siew Yean
In a bid to switch to greener fuels, Sarawak has ambitious plans to produce and export hydrogen. Given a slew of challenges, however, it remains to be seen if its plans will be realised.
Malaysia Cuts ECRL Costs, but Can the Mega Railway Project Pay?
Tham Siew Yean
The unity government has shaved the cost of the debt-funded project. But of greater concern is whether the ECRL will generate enough revenue for Malaysia to pay back the loan. The ECRL’s commercial viability also lacks public disclosure.
Electric Vehicles in Malaysia: Moving Uphill from Niche to Mass Market
Tham Siew Yean
Malaysia has a long way to go before demand for electric vehicles will rise high enough to reduce carbon emissions, mainly because there is no concerted effort to build the charging infrastructure to support this switch.
Malaysia’s Nationwide Minimum Wage Omits Crucial Regional Differences
Tham Siew Yean|Kevin Zhang
One of the key goals of a minimum wage is to provide employees with a wage that can sustain their basic livelihood. Therefore, a more appropriate minimum wage scale should create several tiers where wages are calibrated according to state or regional differences.