A state of total chaos
Keeping Malaysia sectular, sexular, sickular and suckular.
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Archive - 20 June 2014
0Sultan Nazrin: Tell me the truth, no matter how bitter
The ruler insists on being told the truth without any attempt to hide anything.
0CPI rises 3.2pct in May
For the period January to May 2014, the CPI increased 3.4 percent to 109.8.
0MB dispels 'can't control Johor sultan' claim
He also denies claims that the sultan interfered in his administration.
0Give a formal apology, evicted MPs tell Paul Low
K Terengganu MP Raja Kamarul Bahrin says a private apology won’t do.
0I'll never walk with you, Ambiga tells Isma chief
She asks Abdullah Zaik to walk with her if he wishes to fete diversity.
[VIDEO]
0Malaysia Improving Economic Resilience; On Track To Meet 2020 Income, Investment & Job Targets
(Advertorial)
Senator Dato’ Sri Idris Jala is a Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department and CEO of Malaysia’s Performance Management and Delivery Unit (PEMANDU), an organization tasked with ensuring Malaysia meets the goals set forth under the National Transformation Programme (NTP). He spoke with The Prospect Group about the Economic Transformation Programme’s (ETP) goals for 2014, which includes Gross National Income (GNI), investment, and job creation, and ensuring Malaysia’s economy is resilient in the face of global uncertainty.
Q: What are the ETP’s main focal points for 2014?
JALA:
Our focal point for 2014 is to make sure we implement. We have to implement what we promised under the ETP as well as the GTP. The public wants results and the way in which we have to fulfill those results is to execute the initiatives within the 12 National Key Economic Areas (NKEAs) that will achieve big results fast.
Q: What are your 2020 GNI, investment, and job creation goals?
JALA:
By the year 2020, we would like to have become a high-income economy that fulfills the GNI targets of $15,000 per capita. That is our long-term goal. To do that will require a lot of investment; something like $444bn is needed to propel the Malaysian economy to grow. We also need to create 3.3m jobs; you have to create a lot more high-paying jobs so that the citizens can benefit. So those are the three true-North targets: gross national income per capita, private investments that will drive it, and jobs that are created. The good news today is that, from when we first began, in four years, we have been able to grow our total GNI per capita by 50%. We are at the halfway mark today. So we are very pleased with the progress made on the GNI target. With regard to job creation, we are supposed to create 3.3m jobs, and we have created 1.3m jobs in the four-year period. So that is really very good.
We have met more than 60% of the investment targets, signifying we are well on the way to achieving this as well. My view today is that we would like this coming year to continue in the same way as we have experienced over the last three years. That means that everything is on the right trajectory. If things continue the way that they are, we will fulfill our targets before 2020.
Q: In terms of timeframe and the trajectory you are on today, when do you anticipate these goals will be achieved?
JALA:
I think we should reach our targets by the year 2018. But, as you know, the world is not linear. If you look back over the last four years, it has been a good run for us, but we are subject to what happens in the global economy. We have to build in a lot more resilience within the Malaysian economy to face any global crisis or any global slowdown to ensure we can weather storms that happen between now and the year 2020. It has been a very good run for the last four years.
Q: In a world of constantly changing economic realities, how can Malaysia’s Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) and National Key Economic Areas (NKEAs) adapt?
JALA:
Adaptation is a very important requirement moving forward for Malaysia. So what we want to do in Malaysia moving forward is to ensure we build enough resilience in our economy.
Let me begin by saying we must implement proper fiscal reforms. Public debt in our case should not exceed 55% of our GDP. Now there are many countries that have gone to 80%, 90%, 100%, and even 190% public debt to GDP. So if you make sure that you grow the economy and make sure the government debt is below the 55% threshold, we believe that is the way to go. You cannot and should not over leverage, so we are really focusing on that.
The second thing about being resilient as an economy and being able to face any un-foretold difficulties with the global economy is to make sure we do not have a fiscal deficit that exceeds 6%. We have been steadily reducing our fiscal deficit. When we first started, our fiscal deficit was 6.6%. We have since cut that down to 5.8%, and then to 4.8%, and last year we reached 3.9%.
The other aspect of making sure we can adapt is obviously to make sure we have the right competent talent. A competent talent pool means that whatever structural changes take place in the economy, people are able to be mobile and will do what is needed to produce products and services that can compete in the world outside.
The other is that we made changes in the way the civil service operates. We have become a lot more efficient and the good news today is that we have been able to improve the ease of doing business. It is very easy to do business in Malaysia. The World Bank assessed Malaysia in 2009 at number 23. We then moved to number 18, and then to 12, and last year, for the first time, we moved to number 6 overall in the world in terms of the ease of doing business. So if it is easy for investors to put money and investment in Malaysia, and at the same time the government is fiscally prudent and we bring in all the fiscal reforms, and we have a talent pool in the country, then we can adapt very quickly to changes that are happening.
Q: How does this philosophy play into the ideology that Malaysia should move away from being a primary resource based economy and into a higher value added service based economy?
JALA:
If you look at the history of Malaysia, we were an agrarian economy during independence in 1957 and then we moved into a more commodities play. So what we are now doing is making sure that our manufacturing arm grows a lot bigger and we have started doing that. In fact, when it gets down to palm oil, we are now telling the industry it is fine and good for us to do a lot more primary products and selling that as crude, but it is much more important for us to start producing downstream products such as oleo chemicals and we gave a lot of incentives to allow this to happen as evidenced by the establishment of more refineries. That is happening as we speak today, the downstream component has to come in.
At the same time, between now and 2020, we wanted to see that we increase the services sector of the GDP to become more than 60% and we have been growing that rapidly. You can see today that tourism is big for us, financial services are big, the health sector as a part of the economy is also growing, and the education sector. So all of these all together, they will become, by the year 2020, at least 60% of our GDP. So I think for the first time doing this, we will have to diversify the economy so that we do not rely entirely on the commodities play, but we get into the downstream part of the same sectors and at the same time we grow the services sector. I think if you add the two together, the Malaysian economy becomes more resilient.
Watch the interview here:
http://www.theprospectgroup.com/malaysia-improving-economic-resilience-track-meet-2020-income-investment-job-targets-82142/
Senator Dato’ Sri Idris Jala is a Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department and CEO of Malaysia’s Performance Management and Delivery Unit (PEMANDU), an organization tasked with ensuring Malaysia meets the goals set forth under the National Transformation Programme (NTP). He spoke with The Prospect Group about the Economic Transformation Programme’s (ETP) goals for 2014, which includes Gross National Income (GNI), investment, and job creation, and ensuring Malaysia’s economy is resilient in the face of global uncertainty.
Q: What are the ETP’s main focal points for 2014?
JALA:
Our focal point for 2014 is to make sure we implement. We have to implement what we promised under the ETP as well as the GTP. The public wants results and the way in which we have to fulfill those results is to execute the initiatives within the 12 National Key Economic Areas (NKEAs) that will achieve big results fast.
Q: What are your 2020 GNI, investment, and job creation goals?
JALA:
By the year 2020, we would like to have become a high-income economy that fulfills the GNI targets of $15,000 per capita. That is our long-term goal. To do that will require a lot of investment; something like $444bn is needed to propel the Malaysian economy to grow. We also need to create 3.3m jobs; you have to create a lot more high-paying jobs so that the citizens can benefit. So those are the three true-North targets: gross national income per capita, private investments that will drive it, and jobs that are created. The good news today is that, from when we first began, in four years, we have been able to grow our total GNI per capita by 50%. We are at the halfway mark today. So we are very pleased with the progress made on the GNI target. With regard to job creation, we are supposed to create 3.3m jobs, and we have created 1.3m jobs in the four-year period. So that is really very good.
We have met more than 60% of the investment targets, signifying we are well on the way to achieving this as well. My view today is that we would like this coming year to continue in the same way as we have experienced over the last three years. That means that everything is on the right trajectory. If things continue the way that they are, we will fulfill our targets before 2020.
Q: In terms of timeframe and the trajectory you are on today, when do you anticipate these goals will be achieved?
JALA:
I think we should reach our targets by the year 2018. But, as you know, the world is not linear. If you look back over the last four years, it has been a good run for us, but we are subject to what happens in the global economy. We have to build in a lot more resilience within the Malaysian economy to face any global crisis or any global slowdown to ensure we can weather storms that happen between now and the year 2020. It has been a very good run for the last four years.
Q: In a world of constantly changing economic realities, how can Malaysia’s Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) and National Key Economic Areas (NKEAs) adapt?
JALA:
Adaptation is a very important requirement moving forward for Malaysia. So what we want to do in Malaysia moving forward is to ensure we build enough resilience in our economy.
Let me begin by saying we must implement proper fiscal reforms. Public debt in our case should not exceed 55% of our GDP. Now there are many countries that have gone to 80%, 90%, 100%, and even 190% public debt to GDP. So if you make sure that you grow the economy and make sure the government debt is below the 55% threshold, we believe that is the way to go. You cannot and should not over leverage, so we are really focusing on that.
The second thing about being resilient as an economy and being able to face any un-foretold difficulties with the global economy is to make sure we do not have a fiscal deficit that exceeds 6%. We have been steadily reducing our fiscal deficit. When we first started, our fiscal deficit was 6.6%. We have since cut that down to 5.8%, and then to 4.8%, and last year we reached 3.9%.
The other aspect of making sure we can adapt is obviously to make sure we have the right competent talent. A competent talent pool means that whatever structural changes take place in the economy, people are able to be mobile and will do what is needed to produce products and services that can compete in the world outside.
The other is that we made changes in the way the civil service operates. We have become a lot more efficient and the good news today is that we have been able to improve the ease of doing business. It is very easy to do business in Malaysia. The World Bank assessed Malaysia in 2009 at number 23. We then moved to number 18, and then to 12, and last year, for the first time, we moved to number 6 overall in the world in terms of the ease of doing business. So if it is easy for investors to put money and investment in Malaysia, and at the same time the government is fiscally prudent and we bring in all the fiscal reforms, and we have a talent pool in the country, then we can adapt very quickly to changes that are happening.
Q: How does this philosophy play into the ideology that Malaysia should move away from being a primary resource based economy and into a higher value added service based economy?
JALA:
If you look at the history of Malaysia, we were an agrarian economy during independence in 1957 and then we moved into a more commodities play. So what we are now doing is making sure that our manufacturing arm grows a lot bigger and we have started doing that. In fact, when it gets down to palm oil, we are now telling the industry it is fine and good for us to do a lot more primary products and selling that as crude, but it is much more important for us to start producing downstream products such as oleo chemicals and we gave a lot of incentives to allow this to happen as evidenced by the establishment of more refineries. That is happening as we speak today, the downstream component has to come in.
At the same time, between now and 2020, we wanted to see that we increase the services sector of the GDP to become more than 60% and we have been growing that rapidly. You can see today that tourism is big for us, financial services are big, the health sector as a part of the economy is also growing, and the education sector. So all of these all together, they will become, by the year 2020, at least 60% of our GDP. So I think for the first time doing this, we will have to diversify the economy so that we do not rely entirely on the commodities play, but we get into the downstream part of the same sectors and at the same time we grow the services sector. I think if you add the two together, the Malaysian economy becomes more resilient.
Watch the interview here:
http://www.theprospectgroup.com/malaysia-improving-economic-resilience-track-meet-2020-income-investment-job-targets-82142/
0Repeal Sedition Act, reiterates Suhakam
The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) expresses its concern over the recent invocation of the Sedition Act 1948 (Sedition Act) by the relevant authority on Seri Delima state assemblyperson RSN Rayer for uttering impolite words at the Penang state assembly on May 20, 2014.
0Selangor sultan cannot abdicate his duty
Today, I am sad to say that I no longer have confidence in the sultan of Selangor.
0Samy Vellu: Cats and monkeys aplenty in MIC
As president of MIC, even a cat on the road has a right to criticise you, he says.
0Rafizi: UiTM's silence on expose is proof
He notes that UiTM's official reply does not deny any allegations of cronyism.
0Four claim trial to supporting and promoting terrorism
The charges were framed under Section 130J(1)(a) and 130G(a) of the Penal Code.
020 days left for IGP to return child to mum
The court orders were served on the IGP on Wednesday, says M Kulasegaran.
0'Legal adviser has no power to take Bible row to court'
UPDATED 6.10PM
Bar Council says this is unless there is an existing case in court.
0Toll rises to 15 after two boats sink off Malaysia
All fatalities were from the first boat that sank before dawn on Wednesday.
0'Najib insincere to Sarawak's higher oil royalty proposal'
Kuching MP says Sarawak BN must review its position in the coalition.
0PM denies deputy quitting, blames 'certain quarters'
UPDATED 5PM
But Najib does not name the architects behind speculation.
0Gov't still in talks over unilateral conversions
UPDATED 10.30PM
'We're seeking ways to implement 2009 decision.'
0Papagomo's appeal to defer payment dismissed
Wan Muhammad Azri tell reporters he only worked as a fisherman now.
0Kidex not in Petaling Jaya plan, assures councillor
Lee Suet Sen allays fears the thorny highway already inked into the city plans.
0Penang unhappy with no toll relief for bikers
This is over Putrajaya’s rejection of free use of second bridge by bikers.
0MCA disagrees with sultan on Bible remedy
UPDATED 4.15PM
Ti Lian Ker says since AG has decided, there's no reason to refer it...
0'Repeat Sabah kidnappings spotlight police failure'
Lim Guan Eng points to our No 2 spot below Mexico in security concerns.
031 suspected World Cup bookies arrested
The suspects have been arrested in raids in several areas in Johor.
0PAS ulama join debate, saying this is Muslim nation
UPDATED 4.15PM
This is not about whether Malaysia is an Islamic or secular state.
0Energy Commission should be doubly ashamed of itself
While YTL Power had benefitted significantly from directly-negotiated independent power producer (IPP) contracts in the past, we applaud the latest decision by the company to
reject
the recent ‘directly-negotiated’ offer by the Energy Commission to build a new gas-turbine power plant known as Project 4A.
0Change the ‘lame duck’ structure of Esscom
Of late a few kidnapping cases, one after another, have taken place in Sabah’s coastal area, from Semporna to Kunak.
0Hubby's a zero, not hero, Isma chief's wife told
Nor Saleha is also questioned on when her ancestors came to Malaysia.
0'Unethical for CM to tag federal gov't as vindictive'
State BN chief accuses Lim of playing the blame game in airport issue.
0'DAP using Nik Aziz to dominate PAS'
Umno Youth says PAS members are satisfied when the spiritual leader 'cleanses sins'.
0Search for MH370 returns to original area
MH370
Examination of new data prompts return to the area further south.
0June 27 set to sight Ramadan new moon
The Keeper of the Rulers' Seal would announce the date on that night.
0Time to stop all the bickering...
With fence-sitters alarmingly increasing, BN must heed rakyat’s aspirations.
0Playing Russian roulette, hoping it won't strike?
COMMENT
A wrong strategy may affect the lives of hundreds of thousands.
0What is ‘singular’ or ‘plural’ in our written law?
Come Aug 31, 2014 Malaysia will have completed 57 years of its existence as an independent country with its primary, secondary schools, colleges and universities of all sorts for us to have learnt what is meant by the words ‘singular’ and ‘plural’ in ordinary expression and in written law.
0'Surendran's suspension breaches Standing Orders'
Deputy speaker Ronald Kiandee did not follow rules on this, says Lawyers for Liberty.
0Zam: Muhyiddin a disappointed man
The ex-minister says the DPM has many 'deep disappointments'.
0Senior civil servant claims trial to graft charges
UPDATED 1.20PM
He is accused of pocketing a RM600,000 cut from projects.
0Ex-deputy sec-gen bashed for desiring SUPP's death
Wong Soon Koh denies outright any involvement in such a plot.
0Gov’t doing a balancing act with Sedition Act?
FREE
YOURSAY
‘Now I know why DAP leader RSN Rayer is to be charged.’
0Being stateless - what does it mean?
COMMENT
Should any child be put through the agony of not knowing?
0Seven still missing in Sepang boat mishap
Authorities have rescued 20 passengers of the boat that capsized off Sepang on Wednesday.
0Secular or not, Malaysia is going in circles
FREE
YOURSAY
‘Going round and round to solve a problem and still...’
0Jakim to determine syariah compliance benchmark
Among others, it will determine syariah compliance criteria for spas and hotels.
0Bench must explain change of judge in PM vs Mkini
FREE
YOURSAY
‘Such changes do not just happen for no rhyme or reason.’
0'No action against YBs without speaker's consent'
Penang speaker says the AG and police have overstepped into matters of the House.
0So cabinet decisions count for nothing?
FREE
YOURSAY
'When in doubt, confuse the public with contradicting...'
0'Pandikar's secular remark out of bounds'
Speaker has no right to rule Malaysia is not a secular state, says Lim Kit Siang.
0Umno sends Yammy's letter to wrong address
Return to sender, no such address - that’s what Umno was apparently told.
0Bible issue turns into political football
FREE
YOURSAY
‘So who's going to bell that out of order and very ‘naughty’ cat?’
0Colombia beat Ivory Coast to close on knockout round
They have now won two games at a finals for the first time in five appearances.
0Suarez gives Uruguay 2-1 win over England
‘I dreamed about this,’ a sobbing Suarez tells Brazilian TV after the game.
0