ARTICLES

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.

21 Apr 2022

Credit UMNO for the Rakyat’s Benefits? More Serious Accounting Needed

Kevin Zhang|Lee Hwok-Aun

UMNO and Prime Minister Ismail Sabri are hoping to take credit for recent announcements on hiking the minimum wage and allowing special withdrawals from retirement savings, but the devil is in the details.

Malaysia Malaysian Economy Malaysian Politics

11 Apr 2022

Getting Ready for those Business Black Swans

Michael Schaper|Serina Rahman

To prepare for future disasters, the Malaysian government should roll out a national response plan to help smaller businesses tide through the storm.

Climate Change Disaster Management Malaysia Malaysian Economy

30 Mar 2022

No April Fool’s Joke: The Singapore-Malaysia Border Finally Reopens

Serina Rahman

The reopening of the Singapore-Malaysia land border on 1 April 2022 will bring crucial relief to the Malaysian economy, but potential confusion about travel requirements may mar this widely anticipated event.

Malaysia Malaysia-Singapore Relations Malaysian Economy Tourism

9 Mar 2022

Malaysia’s Focus on When to Raise Minimum Wage Must Not Forget Why

Lee Hwok-Aun

After years of lobbying, Malaysia finally approved an increase in the national minimum wage to RM1,500. While the government has since delayed its implementation, current economic circumstances require the wage floor to be raised sooner rather than later.

Malaysia Malaysian Economy Malaysian Politics

27 Jan 2022

Malaysia’s Ratification of the RCEP: Necessary but not Sufficient

Tham Siew Yean

Malaysia's ratification of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership is a step in the right direction, but there are still barriers to foreign direct investment in services which can be rolled back.

International Trade Malaysia Malaysian Economy RCEP

20 Jan 2022

Seeing Red over Rising Prices for Greens

Amirul Adli Rosli

Malaysian netizens are seeing red over the government’s handling of rising prices for daily necessities. The reality is that much of the recent price hikes are due to factors beyond the government’s control.

Malaysia Malaysian Economy Malaysian Politics

17 Jan 2022

Malaysia’s Employees Provident Fund: An Emergency Populist Fund?

Lee Hwok-Aun

Hard questions must be asked of Malaysia’s depletion of workers’ hard-earned retirement savings. Was it justified to permissively sacrifice future income for present consumption? Did political interest thump economic analysis?

Malaysia Malaysian Economy Malaysian Politics UMNO

5 Nov 2021

Malaysia’s National Trade Blueprint: Mind the Gap

Tham Siew Yean

Malaysia’s newly unveiled National Trade Blueprint seeks to arrest the country’s downward slide in global export rankings. But its prescriptions may fall short of what is needed in today’s environment.

Malaysia Malaysian Economy Non-Tariff Barriers

22 Oct 2021

The Twelfth Malaysia Plan: Time for a Reset?

Lee Hwok-Aun

The 12th Malaysia Plan, a key planning document for the country's development, has been expedited through Parliament with no debate. The process of formulating the plan needs a reset.

Economic Development Malaysia Malaysian Economy Malaysian Politics