Why M'sia should retire 5-year economic plans
Even when they are couched in modern language - 'strategic thrusts', 'key result areas', 'mission‑critical enablers' - they still attempt to steer a complex, evolving economy from the top down, as if information about opportunities, costs, and preferences were known in advance and stable for half a decade.
That assumption is false. When a five‑year plan is taken seriously, it cages the economy; when it is applied loosely, it becomes a wish list.
In both cases, the mechanism of coordinated discovery that markets provide - entrepreneurial trial and error mediated by prices - is displaced. The result is misallocation, fiscal strain, and slower productivity growth.
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Anti-migrant mob accuse officer of calling them fascists
Police in Epping have had to set the record straight that they did not call the anti-immigration protesters 'fascists'. A misheard word has spiralled into outrage after YouTuber Wesley Winter – with a following of almost 180,000 – published a video from the disorder outside The Bell Hotel. The demonstration – one of many targeting hotels housing asylum seekers across England – drew in crowds from rival camps and resulted in as many as 15 people arrested. Essex Police was forced to issue a statement on X, following Winter's clip: 'Quite an important correction on this clip doing the rounds. 'The video shows officers policing recent protests in Epping. The officer actually says: 'If you see any FLASHES, left or right, you deal'. 'Officers often talk about being alert to 'flashes/flashpoints' at protests!' This was in response to the 29-year-old's post, which read: 'Police ordered to deal with 'FASCISTS'. 'Context: Stand Up To Racism protesters were getting their royal police escort back to Epping Station. Quite an important correction on this clip doing the video shows officers policing recent protests in officer actually says: 'If you see any FLASHES, left or right, you deal".Officers often talk about being alert to 'flashes/flashpoints' at protests! — Essex Police (@EssexPoliceUK) August 5, 2025 'Local protesters could have potentially ambushed them and come out from the trees as they're walking. Officer then gives his orders.' The clarification did not stop people online clambering on Winter's post and accusing the force of the 'outrageous' lack of impartiality and also calling for an official complaint. Others went as far as screengrabbing the badges of officers and posting them online. Far-right blogger Paul Weston was one of them. He also described the police attitude as a 'chilling example of Soviet-style politicised policing.' Border security minister Dame Angela Eagle stressed that the protests must not be used to 'have a pop at the police'. Asked on Sky News what her message was to protesters, Dame Angela said that 'anger doesn't get you anywhere' More Trending She added: 'What we have to do is recognise the values we have in this country, the rule of law we have in this country, the work we're doing with the police to protect people. 'We will close asylum hotels by the end of the Parliament. We'll do it faster if we can.' Dame Angela added: 'We are doing all we can to deal with the challenges that the police are facing on the streets to make sure that women and girls are safe, and in fact, that everybody is safe on our streets.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Touching moment black cabbie returns £100,000 Hermès handbag to rightful owner MORE: Search for missing 'body' in river turns up life-size sex doll MORE: Boxer who punched Princess Anne's kidnapper wishes he hit 'mollycoddled killer' harder
Malaysiakini
3 days ago
- Malaysiakini
Why M'sia should retire 5-year economic plans
COMMENT | Malaysia's five‑year plans are a legacy of mid‑20th‑century, Soviet-style, central planning. Even when they are couched in modern language - 'strategic thrusts', 'key result areas', 'mission‑critical enablers' - they still attempt to steer a complex, evolving economy from the top down, as if information about opportunities, costs, and preferences were known in advance and stable for half a decade. That assumption is false. When a five‑year plan is taken seriously, it cages the economy; when it is applied loosely, it becomes a wish list. In both cases, the mechanism of coordinated discovery that markets provide - entrepreneurial trial and error mediated by prices - is displaced. The result is misallocation, fiscal strain, and slower productivity growth.
Malaysiakini
4 days ago
- Malaysiakini
Why M'sia should retire 5-year economic plans
COMMENT | Malaysia's five‑year plans are a legacy of mid‑20th‑century, Soviet-style, central planning. Even when they are couched in modern language - 'strategic thrusts', 'key result areas', 'mission‑critical enablers' - they still attempt to steer a complex, evolving economy from the top down, as if information about opportunities, costs, and preferences were known in advance and stable for half a decade. That assumption is false. When a five‑year plan is taken seriously, it cages the economy; when it is applied loosely, it becomes a wish list. In both cases, the mechanism of coordinated discovery that markets provide - entrepreneurial trial and error mediated by prices - is displaced. The result is misallocation, fiscal strain, and slower productivity growth.
