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ANALYSIS – Malaysia “top-down” reforms set to disappoint

By David Chance | Reuters

Malaysia’s plans to revitalise investment by backing national champions and ending race-based policies may sound ambitious, but the details are hazy and real economic reform will face formidable obstacles.

The government starts public consultations this month on a new round of reforms, but there is growing resistance from voters and disappointment from investors over measures taken so far.

A government think tank has identified a dozen growth industries such as oil and gas, biotechnology and Islamic finance to focus on in a drive to double Malaysia’s income per capita and propel it into the ranks of “developed nations” by 2020.

Prime Minister Najib Razak’s record on reform is patchy — he shied away from big subsidy cuts and reversed tack on race-based preferential equity ownership rules for the majority ethnic Malay population under pressure from activists.
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Will PM Najib Razak push through an effective NEM to transform a failed problem ridden Malaysia?

by Dr Chen Man Hin, life adviser DAP

IT WILL TAKE A LIBERAL NEW ECONOMIC MODEL AND A STRONG PRIME MINISTER TO PUSH MUCH NEEDED REFORMS TO TRANSFORM MALAYSIA INTO A HIGH INCOME COUNTRY WITH DEMOCRACY, JUSTICE AND PROSPERITY FOR ALL REGARDLESS OF RACE OR RELIGION.

The political and economic outlook for the country is critical. We are riddled with multiple problems of corruption, lack of judicial independence, racialism, brain drain, with 40% of households living below the poverty level of RM1,500, and four out of five poor households are bumiputras.

All these things are happening even after two years of PM Najib rule since April 2008. His 1 Malaysia and mediocre attempts at reforms have failed.

WORLD RANKINGS OF MALAYSIA

The sorry state of political and economic development is reflected in the world ranking status of Malaysia on areas which indicate whether a society is honest, democratic, transparent,and just.
Continue reading “Will PM Najib Razak push through an effective NEM to transform a failed problem ridden Malaysia?”

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Utusan champions Dr M’s views in campaign for Perkasa

The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 14 — Umno’s Utusan Malaysia continued its campaign backing Perkasa today, and appears to throw its weight behind Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad by citing the former leader’s arguments for the Malay rights group.

In what appears an attempt to show detractors that the Malay rights group has widespread public support, the Malay daily carried opinions, features and stories directly backing Dr Mahathir and Perkasa.

Dr Mahathir recently said that Umno risks losing the next general elections — if it snubbed Perkasa as the party is according to him, weak.

Perkasa leaders have joined that chorus and warned Umno that it could lose the backing from a majority of Malays if it continues plans to distance itself.

Utusan’s support for Perkasa in an editorial on Sunday had already raised questions about whether it was still backing party president Datuk Seri Najib Razak. Continue reading “Utusan champions Dr M’s views in campaign for Perkasa”