ARTICLES

28 Jul 2022

Offered but Not Taken: Why Are Businesses Not Using Government Support?

Michael Schaper

Time and again, surveys show that SME owner-operators prefer to get their information from peers, friends, family and local business organisations. This is followed by third-party professional advisers. Governments usually come last.

4 May 2022

Sustaining Malaysia’s FDI Rebound: Promotion is Good, Facilitation Better

Tham Siew Yean

A better way forward is to continue to enhance investment facilitation measures, making it easier for investors to establish and expand their operations, and conduct their day-to-day business in host countries. In this regard, boosting post-investment, after-care services will grow in importance.

Economic Development Economic Planning Foreign Direct Investment Malaysia Malaysian Economy

4 Feb 2022

Adjusting Towards a Digital Economy: The Critical Role of Labour Mobility

Jayant Menon

The COVID-19 pandemic has sped up the move towards a digital economy, as well as other aspects of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. There are fears that this accelerated transition will exacerbate wealth inequalities both within countries and regionally.

Digitalisation Economic Planning Industry 4.0 Labour Market

8 Nov 2021

Standing Up to Be Counted

Michael Schaper

The lack of common and comparable ASEAN-wide business statistics is an impediment to realising the vision of an ASEAN Economic Community.

ASEAN Asean Trade Economic Planning

17 Sep 2021

Increasing ASEAN’s Attractiveness for Global Investors

Phi Minh Hong

The race among ASEAN’s economies to attract higher levels of foreign direct investment (FDI) may be abusing the tax incentive card.

ASEAN COVID-19 Economic Development Economic Planning

12 Aug 2021

Covid-19 Outbreaks: The Challenge Facing the Fight Against Poverty

Phi Minh Hong

The Covid-19 pandemic has had manifold impacts on the poor in ASEAN member states. Upping vaccination rates will go a long way.

ASEAN COVID-19 Economic Planning Health

18 Feb 2021

Indonesia’s New Sovereign Wealth Fund: Professionals Provide Some Comfort, But Challenges Remain

Manggi Habir

Indonesia has appointed a blue-ribbon slate of professionals to head its new sovereign wealth fund. There will be several challenges ahead, including concerns about investor protection and the Covid-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 Economic Development Economic Planning Indonesia Indonesian Economy

4 Feb 2021

Ditching Malaysia’s Bumiputera System: Three Utopian Scenarios To Consider

Lee Hwok-Aun

A cold hard look at ways of departing from Malaysia’s long-held Bumiputera system throws up three scenarios, one of which is persuasive.

Economic Development Economic Planning Malaysia Malaysian Economy Malaysian Politics

18 May 2020

Covid-19 and the Development Banks: More of the Same

Malcolm Cook

In the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, the more established multilateral development banks – the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank – are still miles ahead of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. The same applies to non-Covid19 related loans and grants.

COVID-19 Economic Development Economic Planning

19 Oct 2018

The Mid-Term Review of the Eleventh Malaysia Plan: A Glimpse of the PH Government’s Future Economic Policy Directions

Cassey Lee

The Mid-Term Review of the Eleventh Malaysia Plan (MTR-11MP) is a broad overview of the PH government's future economic policy directions with emphasis on institutional reforms and reducing state-level developmental gaps that have persisted.

Economic Planning Malaysia