Malaysia: wanted – a genuine new economic model

There is currently a muddled narrative in Malaysia and elsewhere that the country is in some sense ‘stuck in the middle’. It is true that growth has slowed, that the country has been in the ranks of middle-income developing countries for some decades, and that export-oriented economies may not be able to rely on strong global trade growth for the next few years. But the notion of being ‘stuck in the middle’ is devoid of analytical content. It is one thing to observe that, at very high levels of per capita income, as countries approach the frontiers of wealth, growth slows down. But Malaysia is way off such a point. The country’s slowdown is self-inflicted, and there is nothing mysterious about the way out. What is needed is determined, reform-oriented government. Hal Hil comments on what needs to be done with the Malaysian economy.

Malaysia’s fiscal and political uncertainties continue through 2011

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Professor Mohamed Ariff reviews Malaysia in 2011 and postulates on its future in 2012.

Malaysia: Year in review 2011

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The Oxford Business Group analyses how 2011 went for Malaysia and what’s in store for 2012.

Malaysia Economic Monitor- Smart Cities

Malaysia’s highly open economy is expected to slow further during the remainder of 2011 and may pick up only in the second half of 2012. But, while Malaysia’s projected growth is slowing due to external factors, improvements can be made domestically, including by investing in smarter cities.

Malaysia: Staffing the knowledge economy

The Oxford Business Group analyses the IT sector and human capital in Malaysia.

Malaysia Budget ’12 – Oxford Business Group

The Oxford Business Group is full of praise for Najib Razak’s 2012 Budget

Malaysia 2012 Budget: Key takeaways and thoughts

Morgan Stanley’s (Singapore office) analysis of Malaysia’s 2012 Budget.

Malaysia – Rebalancing in tumultuous times

Malaysia should seriously consider rebalancing its economy, argues Shnkaran Nambiar.

The Myth of Malaysia’s Middle Income Trap

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Nurhisham discusses the middle income trap and is positive about Malaysia. He notes that “In fifty years from now, people will look back and see these next 2-3 decades as Malaysia’s golden era. While the ETP and NEM will probably get the credit, this is a structural transformation that’s been years in the making.”

Malaysia – Grand designs for a new leap forward

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Malaysia has high hopes of turning itself into one of the world’s richest countries in the next ten years, and this will clearly require a new round of far-reaching structural reforms.