DOCSLIB.ORG

CONSTITUENCY Newsletter Wong Chen Member of Parliament for Kelana Jaya

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
CONSTITUENCY Newsletter Wong Chen Member of Parliament for Kelana Jaya Issue #7, June 2016 CONSTITUENCY newsLETTER Wong Chen Member of Parliament for Kelana Jaya IN THIS ISSUE Parliamentary Sessions Update TPPA and its conclusion First Parliamentary Session Second Parliamentary Session Community Projects Water migration project Welfare month Projek kecil events of Pusat Khidmat Kelana Jaya Bantah TPPA and Bantah GST rallies Farewell to Amir Movie Fundraiser: Independence Day: Resurgence Pusat Khidmat Kelana Jaya Newsletter Issue #7 Foreward Warm greetings and an update for Kelana Jayans from Wong Chen. Dear Kelana Jayans, This is my seventh newsletter to the people of Kelana Jaya. My team and I will endeavor to issue one every six months to update you of our works and services. This is the mid-2016 issue and also marks the completion of my third year as your Parliamentarian. I am happy to report that Parliament has had three sittings this year and that I gave five primary speeches in Parliament and took part in numerous interjections. The highlight of these last six months is the fact that this office has led the core research and debate on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA). My team and interns have worked very hard and despite losing the TPPA vote, we believe that we had made significant contribution on Malaysian trade policy. I presented my King’s Speech in March focusing on economics, and was honoured to be the third PKR speaker after YB Wan Azizah (Opposition Leader) and YB Rafizi Ramli. I also took the lead on the Companies Bill and the Interest Scheme Bill. As for the Parliamentary sitting in May, I took on the Prime Minister’s Department on the controversial Gas Supply Bill. National ECONOMIC Issues My fellow Kelana Jayans, Malaysia in the 1st quarter of 2016 faced a daunting prospect of a major fiscal crisis when oil prices plummeted to USD30 per barrel. Thankfully, oil prices have stabilised since then, to around USD50. Despite the recovery in oil prices in the 2nd quarter, volatility and a overall drop in commodities remain a threat. We also received news that GST managed to collect a lot more revenue than what was projected. While this is good news for the government, it comes at a heavy price paid by the rakyat. Consumer spending and overall economic sentiment have been low and are expected to continue to be so this year. Unemployment and lay-off concerns are another set of threats. My office estimates that when the severance pay runs out sometime in the 3rd quarter of 2016, we could be facing a new wave of property foreclosures that will dampen the property sector for two to three years. The only bit of hope for avoiding an economic crisis, in the short term, is the prospect of heavy infrastructure investments by China in the next few years. However, there is no such thing as a free lunch and as such, we have to be careful of what we cede away to China in return for their money. We expect the Chinese to continue its aggressive cheque book diplomacy and that this may spark geo-political concerns. It is unfortunate that we have a Prime Minister who has led us down this slippery path of being dependent upon other powers, be it China or the United States. 1 Pusat Khidmat Kelana Jaya Newsletter Issue #7 National Political Issues The Prime Minister is continuing his quest to resolve the 1MDB and RM2.6 billion donation issue. InApril, his last fierce critic, Tan Sri Dr Zeti Aziz stepped down and for two months now, the new Bank Governor has not issued a single statement on 1MDB. Last month, top Malaysian Anti- Corruption Commission (MACC) officers have also tendered their resignations. By August 2016, a new MACC team will be in place. It seems that the only people left who are willing to focus on this issue are the Wall Street Journal and Abu Dhabi. On human rights and civil liberty concerns, the National Security Council Act was gazetted and is now the law of the land. With this new law, we are now officially a much reduced democracy subject to the whims and fancies of an all powerful Prime Minister. On the reading of YB Hadi Awang’s “Hudud” Bill in Parliament with the complicity of UMNO-BN, we are also seeing a shift towards more radicalism in the country. To top it off, we also witnessed the willingness of PAS to help UMNO win in Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar. It is with this new shift in PAS, which gives UMNO a free ride, that we may face prospects of an early general election within this one year. cOMMUNITY FRONT In the last six months, my office has been engaged in numerous constituency events and functions. We have attended and/or organized 39 events in the first six months of 2016. We also had our Welfare Month Program this year in June and we broke a new record of interviewing approximately 700 applicants. In comparison to last year, we interviewed 350 families/individuals. Lastly, I wish to thank both my ADUNS, YB Hannah Yeoh, YB Nik Nazmi, all the councilors, and JKP members for their dedicated services to the people of Kelana Jaya. As we enter into the last six months of 2016, I am fully aware of the challenges ahead. For now, the next challege my officers and I will be dealing with is the Budget in October/November. We will continue to fight for your rights and put all our efforts to make Malaysia a better and fairer place for all. Yours sincerely, 2 Pusat Khidmat Kelana Jaya Newsletter Issue #7 Parliamentary sessions update Here are the updates on the special TPPA parliamentary debate as well as the March/April and May parliamentary session. TPPA and its Conclusion A special parliamentary session was held on the 26th and 27th of January 2016. I have immersed myself in all matters TPPA for the past two and a half years. In preparation for the debate, my office ate, slept, and breathed TPPA. We consulted Sanya Reid of the Third World Network on the matter. Sanya spent the day at my office and basically guided my researcher, Nadirah and my interns as they continue to plough through the TPPA text. YB Gooi Hsiao Leung, who was actively working with me on the TPPA, also discussed foreign policy and agricultural issues. YB Charles Santiago, YB Dr. Hatta Ramli and I even attended meeting with SUHAKAM to persuade them to conduct a TPPA human rights impact assessment. I made various press statements, including one on the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Report, which shows that Malaysia will suffer a 30% drop in our trade balance in exchange for insignificant economic gains if we sign the TPPA. About a week before the TPPA parliamentary session, YB Nurul Izzah Anwar, Professor Jomo Kwame Sundaram, and I gave a briefing to PKR MPs on the TPPA. The briefing was meant to prepare our MPs for the debate in Parliament. However, during the TPPA parliamentary debate, it would seem that all our efforts were in vain. I delivered my speech but did not manage to get to 50% of my content. I did not expect some really frivolous interjections to seriously run down my clock. The Speaker had also failed to come to my defence and in fact entertained a ridiculous objection that reduced my alloted time. In closing, I stated that I had not been given the right to speak. I looked over to the row of Ministers and I could see they were avoiding eye contact with me. Were my views so dangerous to their agenda that I had to be silenced by these means? In the end, the outcome was Pakatan Harapan and PAS 84 votes, Barisan Nasional 127 votes. After two and half years in the Caucus and the last two months working non-stop on this issue, maybe it was all fait accompli. Nevertheless, I want to thank all the caucus members, NGOs, staff, and interns for their hard work. 3 Pusat Khidmat Kelana Jaya Newsletter Issue #7 First Parliamentary session (7th March - 7th April) Junjung kasih Titah diraja Speech 7th of March marked the official start of Parliament 2016, whereby the King gave his speech. Parliamentary debates started the following day. I was selected to be the third PKR speaker (YB Wan Azizah first, then YB Rafizi Ramli). However because Rafizi has yet to recover his voice from a severe sore throat, I was bumped up to be the second speaker. I delivered my Junjung Kasih Titah Diraja (King’s Speech) Speech around 3.30 p.m. It was a 30-minutes speech focused mostly on economics. The transcript is available on my website: www.wongchen.com. In his reply to my King’s Speech, the Deputy Finance Minister, to everyone’s surprise, said that he wholly agreed with my ideas. I stood in reply to thank him and suggested that he becomes the Finance Minister to repace Dato‘ Seri Najib. Knowing that Dato’ Johari is a corporate man, I said no company has a CEO who is also the CFO. In that context, how can the Prime Minister also be the Finance Minister? Malaysia Boleh! On the first day of Parliament, we were also in Dang Wangi Police Station to give moral support to Rafizi, who is being questioned over his allegations of wrongdoings on the Tabung Haji matter. For Rafizi, this is a norm occurrence. The Companies Bill 2015 and INterest Scheme Bill 2015 For this session, I was assigned by PKR to research and debate on the new and voluminious Companies Bill and Interest Scheme Bill.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Desa Mentari
    Pusat Khidmat Kelana Jaya Newsletter Issue #5 1 WONG CHEN Member of Parliament Kelana Jaya Constituency Newsletter Issue #5 July 2015 Greetings from your Member of Parliament! IN THIS ISSUE Dear Kelana Jayans, Parliamentary Sessions Update: This is my fifth newsletter to the people of Kelana Jaya and it is a mid-year issue. We Terrorism legislations and RMK-11 will endeavour to update you of our activities and events every six months. The first six months of 2015 has seen tremendous political and economic developments in Malaysia. The incarceration of Anwar Ibrahim and the recent PAS Muktamar has effectively ended Pakatan Rakyat. As I write, the progressive members of PAS are regrouping with the prospects of forming a new party. I wish them Godspeed in their endeavours. We may yet emerge stronger than ever. On the other side of the political front, the very public quarrel between Dr. Mahathir and Prime Minister Najib is nearing boiling point. Political rumours and Community Projects: prospects of a change in leadership has become a norm topic of conversations. Medical camps and revamping a Ostensibly, the fight centers on the 1MDB story. The 1MDB financial scandal has kindergarten in Ladang Glenmarie had tremendous negative impact on investor and business confidence. The government is now trying to turn the tables and say that lies were spread by Constituency Matters: “economic saboteurs” on 1MDB. An observation by many, is that the thieves remain Objecting re-delineation in Kelana Jaya unpunished, but the whistleblowers are now being targeted. and the SS7 PKNS field issue On the consumer side, the introduction of the GST has substantially dampened Community Dialogues: consumer sentiment.
    [Show full text]
  • Shell Business Operations Kuala Lumpur:A Stronghold
    SHELL BUSINESS OPERATIONS KUALA LUMPUR: A STRONGHOLD FOR HIGHER VALUE ACTIVITIES etting up their operations nearly tial. It sends a strong statement that SBO-KL • SBO-KL’s success in Malaysia two decades ago, The Shell Busi- does not offer a typical GBS location, but was attributed to three key ness Operations Kuala Lumpur offers an entire ecosystem that is constantly aspects – talent quality & (SBO-KL) which is located in growing and developing. availability, world class infra- Cyberjaya, has come a long way. structure, and govt support. SInitially known as Shell IT International (SITI), Frontrunner In The Field • Expansion plans are based on the company has reinvented itself into the Currently, SBO-KL is one of seven global busi- skills, not scale – hiring from multifunctional shared services company ness operations serving clients worldwide, different sectors and industries it is today. with the current focus of being a hub of allows for new markets to be expertise and centre of excellence. tapped into when it comes to Malaysia, Meeting All Requirements Amongst the shared services in Malaysia, creative solutions. The centre’s setup in Malaysia was attributed SBO-KL has the widest portfolio, comprising • High Performance Culture cre- to three key aspects – government support, of business partners and services in the areas ates employees that are holistic talent availability and infrastructure. Having of IT, Finance, HR, Operations, Contracting in thinking and have a desire been granted MSC status, support, and and Procurement, Downstream Business to improve the bottom-line of policies that was favourable, this was a clear (Order-to-delivery, Customer Operation, the organisation.
    [Show full text]
  • 'Rm1bil Scandal' Claim Malaysiakini.Com July 20, 2012 by Aidila Razak
    DAP to hold two forums over MCA's 'RM1bil scandal' claim MalaysiaKini.com July 20, 2012 By Aidila Razak The DAP will be holding two separate forums on MCA’s claim that the Selangor government was involved in a RM1 billion scandal through the Talam Corporation Bhd debt recovery exercise. According to Selangor DAP treasurer Hannah Yeoh, the forums are to allow MCA deputy minister Chua Tee Yong to explain his claims to the public at first hand. “This is to ensure that the audience is not misled by (DAP publicity chief) Tony Pua as accused by Chua. If requested we will be more than happy to offer a neutral moderator from The Star to ensure that everyone gets a fair opportunity to present their views,” she told reporters today. The first forum will be on July 24 at 7.30pm at the Kuala Lumpur Chinese Assembly Hall, and will be held in the Chinese language. Also to speak at the forum will be Selangor DAP chief Teresa Kok and Pua. The second forum, to be held in Bahasa Malaysia and English, will be at the mutipurpose hall at Jalan SS15/4 on July 25 with Yeoh, Pua and PKR director of strategy Rafizi Ramli speaking. Commenting on Chua’s recent assertions that he (Pua) failed to read the Permodalan Selangor Nasional Bhd balance sheet properly and did not know how to calculate, Pua said he would love for Chua to attend the forum to “educate” him. “I seriously would appreciate if he can turn up at this forum, so I can pay him tuition fees for him to teach me on how to count and teach me the elements of accountancy.
    [Show full text]
  • Growth and Inclusion 25 – 26 September 2015, Penang, Malaysia
    Draft Program Progressive Alliance Seminar: Growth and Inclusion 25 – 26 September 2015, Penang, Malaysia Friday, 25 September 2015 Venue: Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa, Penang Batu Ferringhi Beach, Penang 11100, Malaysia 08:00 hrs Registration 09:00 hrs Steering Committee Venue: Room Sayang 1 & 2 Interested parties can send a delegate to the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee prepares and discusses the conference and resolutions as well as the upcoming activities of the Progressive Alliance. Chaired by Konstantin Woinoff, Coordinator, Progressive Alliance 10:00 hrs Coffee Break Page 2 10:30 hrs Parallel Workshops Workshop 1: Progressive Campaigning Venue: Room Sayang 1 & 2 . Margiyono Darsasumarja, NASDEM Party Indonesia . Marije Laffeber, Deputy Secretary General, Party of European Socialists (PES) . Chan Foong Hin, State Legislative Assemblyperson, Democratic Action Party (DAP), Malaysia Moderator: Howard Lee, State Legislative Assemblyperson, Democratic Action Party (DAP), Malaysia Workshop 2: Developing Situation in Asian Countries Venue: Ballroom . Amuda Shrestha, Nepali Women Association, Nepal: Nepal after the earthquake . Park Ae Joo, Chief of International Relations Bureau, New Politics Alliance for Democracy, South Korea: The Challenges Ahead of Korean Parliamentary Elections in 2015 . Hiroyasu Higuchi, General Manager of international Department, Democratic Party, Japan: Recent Developments in Japanese politics . Jose Teixeira, MP, FRETILIN, East-Timor: Challenges for the center left in East Timor Moderator: Machris Cabreros,
    [Show full text]
  • Selangorkini Jun 4 2012
    Penggerak Kemajuan Saksama PERCUMASelangor 15 - 22 Jun 2012, 25 Rejab - 2 Syaaban1433 Kini Notis 5A: Penerima Jangan rasuah jika OKU gembira gembira hajat ibu bapa gagal dapat lesen terima bantuan tertunai mesin jahit muka 14 muka 5 muka 10 DEMAM BOLA... Exco Selangor, Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi (berbaju kuning, berkaca mata) turut berkongsi kemeriahan menyaksi- kan perlawanan EURO 2012 antara pasukan England dan Perancis di Restoran Hakim Seksyen 7. Restoran ini merupakan salah satu lokasi daripada 10 tempat yang dipilih bagi sesi tontonan yang akan diadakan di sekitar Shah Alam sempena pertandingan piala itu. Sesi ‘Tayangan Wajib Tonton EURO 2012’, dianjurkan Pengerak Belia Tempatan Shah Alam ber- sama Pejabat Exco Adat Resam Melayu, Belia dan Sukan. Selain menonton perlawanan, pengunjung juga berpeluang menyertai pelbagai pertandingan seperti timbang bola, tendangan penalti dan cabutan bertuah Struktur semula cara terbaik urus air, bukan Langat 2 Oleh SHERIDAN MAHAVERA pada pengguna. biran Umno-BN, harga air bersih Fakta di atas merupakan ke- Klang, Charles Santiago dan Ahli Menurut Unit Perancangan mampu melonjak sebanyak 78 simpulan yang boleh diambil da- Parlimen Petaling Jaya Utara, SHAH ALAM - Penstrukturan Ekonomi Negeri (Upen), pen- peratus. ripada Forum Air Selangor pada Tony Pua. semula industri air Selangor strukturan semula akan memas- Tambah lagi, jika penstruk- 12 Jun di Shah Alam. Seorang jurutera dari Coali- merupakan cara terbaik untuk tikan bekalan mencukupi dan turan tidak berlaku dan pro- Forum sehari itu memperli- tion for Sustainable Water Ma- memastikan bekalan air bersih di kadar air tidak berhasil (non- jek mega Langat 2 dibina oleh hatkan pakar industri air terma- nagement (CSWM), Dr Lee Jin Lembah Klang mencukupi untuk revenue water) iaitu, air bersih Umno-BN, harga air mampu me- suk agensi Selangor seperti Lem- mendedahkan laporan yang di- rakyat Selangor pada harga yang yang dibazirkan melalui sistem lonjak sebanyak 100 peratus.
    [Show full text]
  • HRP Kepada Pakatan: Beri Kami 15 Kerusi Parlimen Malaysiakini.Com Disember 19, 2010 Parti Pelampau
    HRP kepada Pakatan: Beri kami 15 kerusi parlimen Malaysiakini.com Disember 19, 2010 Parti pelampau - Hindraf-Parti Hak Asasi Manusia (HRP) telah memberi kata dua kepada Pakatan Rakyat supaya memberi laluan kepada parti kaum India itu bertanding satu lawan satu dengan BN di 15 kerusi parlimen dan 38 kerusi negeri dalam pilihanraya umum akan datang. hindraf book launch 191210 uthayakumar with recent letter to PKRDalam surat yang dihantar hari ini kepada ketua umum PKR Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, penasihat DAP Lim Kit Siang dan presiden PAS Datuk Seri Hadi Awang, setiausaha agung penaja HRP, P Uthayakumar berkata jika Pakatan tidak memenuhi permintaan parti itu, gabungan itu akan berdepan dengan pertandingan tiga penjuru di kawasan berkenaan. Sebagai ganjaran tidak bertanding, menjanji sokongan dan menyediakan bantuan jentera kepada HRP, Pakatan akan mendapatkan "sokongan tidak berbelah bagi dan kerjasama di semua 207 kerusi parlimen dan 538 kerusi DUN untuk memenangi semula sokongan pengundi India. Beliau berkata, pihaknya telah menyokong (Pakatan) dalam pilihanraya umum ke-12, dan sekarang "kami meminta anda membalas budi itu." Uthayakumar berkata, pihak berharap Pakatan tidak akan meletak calon di kawasan berkenaan sehingga menyebabkan berlakunya pertandingan tinga penjuru "menentang musuh politik bersama kita (Umno-BN). Dikehendaki: Ijok, Lembah Pantai, Padang Serai Bercakap dalam satu sidang akhbar di ibupejabat HRP di di Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, Uthayakumar berkata bahawa kerusi yang dipilih itu mempunyai jumlah besar pengundi India, termasuk kerusi yang kini diwakili wakil rakyat PKR seperti Padang Serai di Kedah, Ipoh di Perak Barat, Kota Raja di Selangor dan Lembah Pantai di Kuala Lumpur. ijok revisit 220807 school boyMereka juga berminat dengan kerusi parlimen Sungei Siput, Perak, yang kini diwakili oleh anggota jawatankuasa pusat PSM, Dr D Jeyakumar.
    [Show full text]
  • Racialdiscriminationreport We
    TABLE OF CONTENTS Glossary ............................................................................................................................................................................ 1 Executive Summary...................................................................................................................................................... 3 Definition of Racial Discrimination......................................................................................................................... 4 Racial Discrimination in Malaysia Today................................................................................................................. 5 Efforts to Promote National Unity in Malaysia in 2018................................................................................... 6 Incidences of Racial Discrimination in Malaysia in 2018 1. Racial Politics and Race-based Party Politics........................................................................................ 16 2. Groups, Agencies and Individuals that use Provocative Racial and Religious Sentiments.. 21 3. Racism in the Education Sector................................................................................................................. 24 4. Racial Discrimination in Other Sectors................................................................................................... 25 5. Racism in social media among Malaysians........................................................................................... 26 6. Xenophobic
    [Show full text]
  • Proposal to Add Conditions, Raise Levy Would Increase Costs Instead Of
    INSIDE page TELLING IT AS IT IS Year-end celebrations 3 expected to be muffled page Cops: No Covid outbreak 4 among Genting staff ON WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 16, 2020 No. 7682 PP 2644/12/2012 (031195) www.thesundaily.my ON HIGH ALERT ... A soldier and a Felda auxiliary police canine tracker unit patrol a beach yesterday during an operation to check on illegal immigrants and encroachment in Tanjung Batu, Sarawak. – BERNAMAPIX Foreign labour blunder █ BY ALISHA NUR MOHD NOOR demand for migrant workers. [email protected] The Malaysian Trades Union Congress oExperts: Proposal to add conditions, raise (MTUC) and MEF also agreed that instead of ETALING JAYA: Two proposals – one to raising the levy, the government should focus impose new conditions on the levy would increase costs instead of solve on “trimming the fat” in the migrant workforce, recruitment of foreign workers and and that means deporting “unnecessary” another to raise the levy on them – have migrant worker issue workers rather than holding them at detention Pbeen quickly shot down by stakeholders and centres. experts. These “unnecessary” workers are Rather than helping to solve the labour infrastructure development. Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) presumably the undocumented ones who, problem in Malaysia, they will only increase However, according to the Malaysian president Tan Sri Yong Poh Kon to gradually according to MTUC president Datuk Abdul costs to businesses and even disrupt supply Employers Federation (MEF), the knock-on raise the levy on each foreign worker from Halim Mansor, currently numbered around chains, both of which are unaffordable, effect of higher levies, from runaway cost RM150 currently to as high as RM430.
    [Show full text]
  • Framing Interethnic Conflict in Malaysia: a Comparative Analysis of Newspaper Coverage on the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf)
    International Journal of Communication 6 (2012), 166–189 1932–8036/20120166 Framing Interethnic Conflict in Malaysia: A Comparative Analysis of Newspaper Coverage on the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) LAI FONG YANG Taylor's University Malaysia MD SIDIN AHMAD ISHAK University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur Despite repeated warnings from the Malaysian government, the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) rally drew thousands of Indians protesting on the streets of Kuala Lumpur on November 25, 2007. Mistreatment of Indians and lack of press coverage of their plight had been commonplace for years. By employing framing as the theoretical framework and content analysis as the research method, this study examines what perspectives newspapers have created that influence citizens’ understanding of the Hindraf movement. Three mainstream newspapers were found to focus on the conflict frame, and their representation of Hindraf articulated a hegemonic discourse that was prejudicial to the interests of the group and contrary to a spirit of democratic inquiry. The dissimilar coverage of the same issue by the alternative newspaper denoted that publication’s varied points of view, which were rooted in different political beliefs, cultural assumptions and institutional practices. Introduction Since gaining independence in 1957, the Malaysian government has viewed interethnic relations as a real challenge to the social stability of the country (Abdul Rahman, 2000; Baharuddin, 2005; Brown, 1994). As early as 1970, Mahathir Mohamad, who was then a medical doctor and later became the fourth and longest-serving prime minister of Malaysia, claimed that there was never true racial harmony in Malaysia. In his much-debated and once-banned book, The Malay Dilemma, he argued that although there was a certain amount of tolerance and accommodation, racial harmony in Malaysia was neither real nor Lai Fong Yang: [email protected] Md Sidin Ahmadd Ishak: [email protected] Date submitted: 2011–06–03 Copyright © 2012 (Lai Fong Yang & Md Sidin Ahmad Ishak).
    [Show full text]
  • Constituency Newsletter
    ISSUE #17 CONSTITUENCY NEWSLETTER JANUARY - JUNE 2021 WONG CHEN MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR SUBANG PUSAT KHIDMAT RAKYAT PARLIMEN SUBANG (P104) Table of Contents Page 1 Foreword 01 2 Parliamentary Duties 03 3 Diplomatic Duties 04 4 Welfare & Community Updates 06 5 Officer’s Introduction 11 6 Interns’ Testimonials 12 7 Financial Statements & Allocation Spending 13 8 Media Engagements 15 9 Constituency Services 16 01 Foreword by Wong Chen My dear Constituents of Subang, The first six months of 2021 have been strange, bewildering and overall sad for Malaysia. For the last two months, we have been hit very hard by the pandemic and there seems to be no near end in sight. The Emergency proclamation in January, ostensibly to fight COVID-19 has now been proven to be a complete political sham. Malaysia is the only country in the world where after Emergency has been declared (together with the suspension of Parliament), the pandemic situation has actually worsened instead of improving. This inability to contain the pandemic is the result of an incompetent and anti-democratic government that is weak in leadership and poor in policy planning. I get no joy in criticising the PN government but it is now as clear as day that without the checks and balances provided by parliament, their incompetency will only grow to the detriment of Malaysians from the pandemic. However, this newsletter is not so much about politics; for that you can follow me on my active social media posts. This newsletter is basically a report card of sorts of what my office and I have been doing in the last six months.
    [Show full text]
  • Perceptions and Practice of Human Security in Malaysia
    Human Security in Practice: East Asian Experiences Perceptions and Practice of Human Security in Malaysia Benny Teh Cheng Guan and Ngu Ik Tien No. 134 September 2016 0 This paper was prepared as part of a research project on “Human Security in Practice: East Asian Experiences,” organized by the Japan International Cooperation Agency Research Institute (JICA-RI). Use and dissemination of this working paper is encouraged; however, the JICA Research Institute requests due acknowledgement and a copy of any publication for which this working paper has provided input. The views expressed in this paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official positions of either the JICA Research Institute or JICA. JICA Research Institute 10-5 Ichigaya Honmura-cho Shinjuku-ku Tokyo 162-8433 JAPAN TEL: +81-3-3269-3374 FAX: +81-3-3269-2054 Perceptions and Practice of Human Security in Malaysia Benny Teh Cheng Guan and Ngu Ik Tien† Abstract This paper discusses the understanding of human security in Malaysia. As the country prepares to achieve its vision of becoming a developed nation by 2020, exposure to the forces of globalization and integration into the international economy and the ASEAN community have on the one hand improved the economic standing of the country and its people while on the other hand exposed Malaysian society to a range of downside risks or threats that could undermine the past achievements of programs for human development. The paper covers three main areas. Firstly, we deliberate on the notion of human security from international and regional standpoints before explaining differential interpretations and understandings of the term at national and local levels.
    [Show full text]
  • Industrial Policy and Global Value Chains: the Experience of Guangdong, China and Malaysia in the Electronics Industry
    Industrial Policy and Global Value Chains: The experience of Guangdong, China and Malaysia in the Electronics Industry By VASILIKI MAVROEIDI Clara Hall College This dissertation is submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Centre of Development Studies, University of Cambridge Date of Submission: September, 2018 Preface This dissertation is the result of my own work and includes nothing which is the outcome of work done in collaboration except as declared in the Preface and specified in the text. It is not substantially the same as any that I have submitted, or, is being concurrently submitted for a degree or diploma or other qualification at the University of Cambridge or any other University or similar institution except as declared in the Preface and specified in the text. I further state that no substantial part of my dissertation has already been submitted, or, is being concurrently submitted for any such degree, diploma or other qualification at the University of Cambridge or any other University or similar institution except as declared in the Preface and specified in the text It does not exceed the prescribed word limit for the relevant Degree Committee. 2 Acknowledgments This thesis would have been impossible without the support and encouragement of a great many people that I met during this journey. My biggest thanks go to Dr. Ha-Joon Chang. He believed in me since the very first time we met and all our conversations since (together with the copious amount of red ink spent on my earlier drafts) have pushed me to think harder and improve not only as a scholar, but also as a person.
    [Show full text]