
Malaysia’s New Industrial Master Plan: Clear-Eyed on Implementation
Tham Siew Yean
Malaysia newest industrial master plan has a stronger focus on deliverables, with a focus on action plans and the monitoring of implementation.
Tham Siew Yean
Malaysia newest industrial master plan has a stronger focus on deliverables, with a focus on action plans and the monitoring of implementation.
Cassey Lee
The “Madani Economy” narrative launched on 27 July hopes to project a stronger public image of Prime and Finance Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s economic leadership. It should be seen as an interim economic policy framework of the Unity government inspired by the Madani concept.
Pritish Bhattacharya|Francis E. Hutchinson
This Long Read seeks to understand the impact of the COVID crisis on the economic ties between Singapore and Malaysia. It analyses historical trends as well as recent data to assess how the different aspects of the relationship were affected and what the near-term outlook is likely to be.
Tham Siew Yean
Malaysia has established numerous funds to nurture start-ups, but must do much better in simplifying the current system, reporting relevant data, and assessing policy outcomes.
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”.
Lee Hwok-Aun
Anwar Ibrahim’s 24 February speech unveiled a budget largely replicating the October version presented by his predecessor. Given that Malaysia’s reforms extend beyond public funding priorities and allocations to institutional reforms and new narratives of nationhood, the budget speech may be just the opening act.
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.
Siwage Dharma Negara|Peh Ko Hsu
Malaysia’s ban on chicken exports to Singapore has allowed Indonesia to join the competitive poultry export market.
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.
Cassey Lee
The war in Ukraine and the de-coupling of Russia from major economies are expected to dampen economic recovery and generate inflationary shocks. If inflation in Malaysia worsens, policymakers may have to implement a more restrictive monetary policy combined with fiscal stimulus funded by debt and petroleum royalties.