IT IS fundamental and important to understand the social realities in whatever we do, be it in politics or business, what more if we are trying to reform society for the better. The realities of almost all societies are often not in harmony with their social ideals. This applies also to us. The authorities and the…
I HAVE just finished watching Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad deliver his speech on TV in conjunction with the country’s 46th Independence Day and I guess this would be his last Merdeka speech as a Prime Minister. Like most of his speeches, Dr Mahathir tries to drive home a persisting issue into our thick, stubborn…
WHILE you are reading this article, the city of Kuching is hosting a convention on integrity, which is jointly organised by the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) and the Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (Mampu). Among the many issues discussed, one that is of great concern to the Government is corruption. Since bribery involves two…
LATELY, I am beginning to feel that the world is no longer safe to live in. War and unrest seem to be everywhere. In Afghanistan and Iraq, for example, there is continuous turmoil and chaos. The Muslim world is still remorseful over the bloodbaths in these two countries where thousands of innocent lives have been…
THE year 1997 was a tragic year for Malaysia and its citizens. Dubbed as one of the promising “tiger economies”, the country was suddenly dragged into the contagious effects of currency speculation activities. The devaluation of the ringgit was painful to many, especially those in the corporate world. Overnight, the amount of external debts burgeoned…
IT WAS Thursday morning on March 20. Iraq was attacked by the Americans and their gang. My wife was in tears and I was left numb and speechless. I believe the same feelings were and are still shared by many Malaysians. Why did America and its friends heartlessly invade Iraq though no consent was given…
I WOULD like to share some of my depressing experiences travelling to Mukim Hulu Langat of Selangor recently. This area is one of the greener areas outside Kuala Lumpur. Despite being just over 16 km from the city, the economic activities are mainly agro-based. Mukim Hulu Langat, located south-east of the city, can be approached…
SOME time ago, Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamed announced that Malaysia is an Islamic state. To this, mixed views from various people came up. In fact, Malaysia does not claim itself to be a model Islamic state. Long before the Prime Minister made the announcement, the members of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) had…
IT is evident that since the fourth quarter of the last century, there has been an increase in awareness among investors, both international and domestic, to be more selective and prudent in the formation of their investment portfolios. Besides the expected profits, this breed of investors is particularly concerned about the business activities of the…
THE role of banks in promoting entrepreneurship is a strategic issue to any economy, since financial capital is arguably one of the important factors in entrepreneur development. This is especially so as Malaysia is recovering from the financial crisis that hit this country in mid 1997. Though we have not yet recovered fully, there are…
