KUALA LUMPUR, 23 July 2009: The Kuala Lumpur Commercial Court will be established by year-end as part of the country’s commitment to address business-related issues in an expeditious manner. It would also speed up the resolution of commercial disputes, said Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Jacob Dungau Sagan at the ministry’s annual dialogue […]
economy
Dr M’s questionable priorities
I REFER to the latest posting in (Tun) Dr Mahathir Mohamad‘s blog, in which he criticised non-Malay [Malaysians] for asking for more concessions from state policies. In response to these demands, the current prime minister (Datuk Seri Najib Razak) has liberalised rules pertaining to equity ownership in some service sub-sectors and promised to set up […]
Najib’s performance
Corrected on 15 July 2009 at 12.30am GOOD news for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. His approval ratings jumped from 45% in mid-May to 65% by 1 June, according to a poll by the Merdeka Center for Opinion Research released ahead of his first 100 days in office on 11 July. The increase follows […]
Staying competitive, but for whom?
ON 16 June 2009, the government tabled an amendment to the Inland Revenue Board Act 1995 — a minor amendment that enables the board to meet once every two months, instead of once a month as in the original legislation. However, as is the practice in the Malaysian Parliament, when any amendment is opened for […]
PAS muktamar passes three resolutions
SHAH ALAM, 7 June 2009: The PAS muktamar debated and passed three resolutions on the economy, on judicial integrity and on education. The resolution on the economy called for the government to preserve the interests of Muslim bumiputera entrepreneurs. It declared PAS’s opposition to the liberalisation of 27 service subsectors and the abolishment of the […]
Govt revises down GDP for 2009
PUTRAJAYA, 28 May 2009:The government has revised downwards the country’s GDP (gross domestic product) forecast for 2009 to between -4% and -5% for 2009 from earlier projection of -1% to 1% after 1st quarter GDP shrank a worst-than-expected 6.2%. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said on 28 May the wider contraction projection was due […]
Economy contracts 6.2% in 1Q
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian economy contracted 6.2% on-year in the first quarter of 2009, the worst since the Asian financial crisis, as manufacturing output shrank sharply as exports and industrial production fell. Bank Negara said on 27 May that manufacturing contracted 17.6%, mining fell 5.2% while agriculture saw a 4.3% decline. Services also showed a […]
Free market fallacies
Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj, during his speech (pic courtesy of Parti Sosialis Malaysia) THE Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) organised a fundraising dinner at the Petaling Jaya Civic Centre on 9 May 2009 which was attended by some 600 members, friends and supporters. I was invited to give a short speech, and this is what I […]
Najib continues with reforms
KUALA LUMPUR, 27 April 2009: Though it has been only three weeks since he took office as Malaysia’s sixth prime minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak has been busy crafting out reforms, especially in relation to the economy. In a short spate of time, he has revised several policies and announced the liberalisation of some sectors […]
Forecast to be revised if economy improves
KUALA LUMPUR, 16 April 2009: Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) will revise growth forecast for the year if the economy improves in the second half, its governor, Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akthar Aziz said today. The central bank has projected the gross domestic product (GDP) for this year to be between -1% and 1%. She said […]
