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The Sun
09-07-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Climate doomsday awaits Malaysia
WHAT is the level of governance efficiency in Malaysia? In a recent interview by theSun, young Malay voters expressed a strong preference for good governance and transparency, rejecting race-based policies. They emphasised the need to cut through bureaucratic red tape and believe that the work and performance of politicians are more important. Young non-Malay voters ought to hold similar opinions so that Malaysia can experience a rebirth. To assess governance efficiency, we must first define the purpose of governance. In its 1997 World Development Report, the World Bank listed the core functions of government as: providing public goods – especially health and education – protecting the environment, setting economic policies, redistributing wealth and coordinating private sector activities. What level of governance efficiency is needed to ensure that key functions are properly carried out? Work performance hinges on qualification, experience and suitability. But are these factors valued in Malaysia's political system? Regrettably, the answer is no. We practise adversarial politics, where one coalition is constantly seeking to overthrow the ruling coalition – either through general elections or by securing enough MPs to sign statutory declarations pledging support for the opposition. Such a system lacks a common purpose, with no collective effort to find the best solutions to pressing issues. Beyond that, there is often little genuine concern for the people's well-being as politicians tend to prioritise party agendas above all else. The main side-effect of adversarial politics is the sense of entitlement it creates. Parties in a winning coalition are given cabinet positions as rewards rather than based on merit, experience, qualification and suitability for the job. The Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas) has criticised this approach, saying that it sends a dangerous message – that public roles are political rewards rather than positions earned through merit and competence. All appointments should be handed out on merit, integrity and professional experience. The opposition coalition, primarily made up of PAS and Bersatu and in control of four northern Peninsular Malaysia states, should have taken the cue from Ideas. However, it did not – reflecting a shared belief that political appointments are entitlements rather than roles earned through merit. So it should come as no surprise that Malaysia, with its abundant natural resources, shows relatively poor governance compared with governments that select persons who have a record of service and competence. A plantation is not a healthy ecosystem as it lacks natural competition. If left untended for even a year, a plantation or rice field will quickly be overtaken by other plants to provide competition for the crop. Just as a crop loses its ability to thrive without competition, a group of people deprived of competition will remain perpetually weak. In all natural ecosystems, scientists have detected an underlying framework of cooperation that enables the ecosystem to prosper in its diversity. But animals in direct food-chain relationships and individual animals compete to build resilience for survival. A predator sharpens its hunting skills and in response, the prey sharpens its running skills. As the predator becomes faster, so does the prey. The Road Transport Ministry offers a classic example of duplicity. Recently, it praised itself for the voluminous increase in peak-hour ridership on MRT and LRT lines, yet it completely overlooked the worsening traffic congestion and gridlock on roads in Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya. Five years ago, a coroner's court in London ruled – after reviewing extensive expert medical evidence – that a young girl living near Central London had died from pulmonary fibrosis, a lung disease caused by toxic PM2.5 particles emitted by petrol-powered vehicles. Yet, the ministry has paid no attention to improving public bus services during peak hours and introducing electric buses to ply all routes. Local councils often lack efficiency, partly because bureaucratic appointments are influenced by political considerations. One major indicator of local governance inefficiency is the poor maintenance culture. Maintenance is the backbone of any modern society, ensuring the safety, reliability and longevity of infrastructure and public services. Road potholes are a major indicator of poor governance as they imperil lives. Repairs are often made only after untoward incidents occur or when new budget allocations are secured. Between 2000 and 2011, a total of 65,000 road traffic deaths were recorded. Potholes caused 15.4% of the accidents, resulting in over 1,000 deaths. Motorcyclists will often swerve to avoid these craters, causing collisions with nearby vehicles. This year, up to April, a total of 17,921 potholes were reported across all states. In April, a teenage motorcyclist lost his life after hitting a pothole on a rural road in Pahang. In March, two secondary school students died when their motorcycle struck a pothole, causing them to skid and fall. In January last year, a pregnant woman driving a car was killed after crashing into an electrical panel box on Pasir Gudang Highway. Even after potholes are repaired, council inspections to ensure quality work by contractors are often lacking. Last March, two brothers lost their lives in an accident caused by a pothole along Jalan-Sengkang Felda Inas-Bandar Tenggara. The pothole had started as a small hole before gradually expanding. Without strict monitoring and testing, roads can quickly become vulnerable to early damage. Too often, maintenance is reactive rather than proactive. There seems to be no preventive maintenance schedules. Even in some housing estates, the asphalt road surfaces, road shoulders and back alleys are often poorly maintained. In Ipoh – famously known as a food paradise – the entire stretch of Jalan Kompleks Sukan, starting from Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, is in a state of disrepair. Good performance can be achieved by fostering healthy competition. Limit the number of vacancies to 20% of the total number of candidates and create a competitive environment – only one in five will secure the job and they will compete accordingly. Subsequently, release another 20% of the vacancies and once again ensure intense competition. Continue with the third and fourth rounds, each offering an additional 20%, maintaining the same competitive process throughout. Open the final 20% of vacancies exclusively to non-Bumiputera candidates, maintaining the same level of competition. When jobs are treated as entitlements, underperformance in government is inevitable. To foster a culture of merit-based performance, a significant presence of non-Bumiputera talent in the workforce is essential. The government at all levels must be courageous in breaking the grip of near-total racial entitlement because diversity is always better than homogeneity. How does a lack of governmental efficiency affect climate action? If a nation struggles to run 100m, how can it expect to run 1,000? Climate therapy – a term we will use moving forward – is like a 1,000m race. Our lack of governmental efficiency and reluctance to embark on necessary reforms cause Malaysia to lose one more point in climate survival. Our final score is -10, which is rock bottom. Climate doomsday awaits Malaysia when global warming exceeds the tipping point of 1.5°C and hits 2°C. All Malaysians will perish except residents of Sabah and Sarawak, where the climate survival rating is notably higher. The next article will take a fresh look at the various negative factors giving Malaysia a climate survival score of -10. It will suggest a 'therapy' to pull Malaysia out of the hole.
NDTV
05-05-2025
- Business
- NDTV
India Does Not Have The "Luxury": Think Tank Contests World Bank Views On Growth
New Delhi: India does not need to follow the traditional approach to development that ties it with per capita income, new research has suggested. It can carry on simultaneous development on all fronts, that would get it to the developed country milestone within 20 years, by 2047, the research said. In its report titled "Innovating out of the Middle-Income Trap," the Chintan Research Foundation has suggested that a linear approach need not be followed by a country like India that has a young, strong and skilled work force. A nation can advance by simultaneously investing in solid infrastructure, judiciously infusing foreign expertise (with caution), and nurturing local innovation ecosystems nations can craft a balanced development pathway, the report has suggested. The accepted model of advancement comes from last year's World Development Report from the World Bank. The report, titled "The Middle-Income Trap", suggests that middle income nations follow a linear sequence. When a country is low-income, investment in infrastructure is required. Low-middle-income nations should begin "infusion" and only when it crosses the threshold of $14,000 per capita income, it can focus on "innovating" the received technology and exporting it globally. But India, the Chintan Research Foundation report said, is in a hurry to achieve developed country status - Viksit@47 - and "does not have the luxury to follow the sequential approach to development" as suggested in the World Development Report. Viksit Bharat is not a leap of faith but a calculated extension of measurable and maintainable trends. The report said the World Bank's cautionary stance on "leapfrogging" (jumping from investment to innovation without following infusion) negates the possibility of faster progress. It reinforces the traditional (view) 'others took 20 years to this path, so you should take the same amount of time too.' The CRF said its research shows that scientific production is in progress, Indian researchers match or outpace many upper-middle-income peers and talent is flowing toward discovery rather than away from it.
Indian Express
27-04-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Daily subject-wise quiz : International Relations MCQs on reports published by the World Bank, axis of resistance and more (Week 107)
With reference to the Global Geoparks, consider the following statements: 1. They are single, unified geographical areas where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed with a holistic concept of protection, education and sustainable development. 2. They are managed by UNICEF. 3. Recently, North Korea recorded its historic first with the inclusion of its site in the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network. 4. India has six Global Geoparks sites. How many of the statements given above are correct? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four Explanation — UNESCO has added 16 additional sites from 11 nations to its Global Geoparks Network, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. The new geoparks are in China, North Korea, Ecuador, Indonesia, Italy, Norway, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam. Hence, statement 2 is not correct. — North Korea achieved a historic first by including its site in the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network, while Saudi Arabia made its debut on the list with two newly recognised geoparks. Hence, statement 3 is correct. — With the new additions, the Network now has 229 locations in 50 nations, covering almost 855,000 square kilometres – an area roughly the size of Namibia. — UNESCO Global Geoparks are single, undivided geographical areas in which sites and landscapes of international geological significance are administered using a comprehensive approach to protection, education, and sustainable development. Hence, statement 1 is correct. — As of July 2024, India does not have any UNESCO Global Geoparks. While India has identified several geological heritage sites and is exploring the idea of developing geoparks, none have yet been recognised by UNESCO. Hence, statement 4 is not correct. Consider the following reports: 1. World Development Report 2. Global Financial Stability Report 3. Poverty and Shared Prosperity 4. World Economic Outlook Which of the reports given above are published by the World Bank? (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 3 and 4 only (d) 1 and 3 only — The World Bank's latest India Country Economic Memorandum states that India must expedite reforms in order to achieve high income status by 2047, which would necessitate an average annual growth rate of 7.8 percent. The research advocated for a move from 'business as usual' to 'accelerated reforms' that would focus on productivity growth, revitalising and sustaining investment, creating quality jobs, and enhancing growth fundamentals in low-income states. — Some of the reports published by the World Bank are: (i) World Development Report: An annual flagship magazine with a special theme relating to global development. (ii) Global Economic Prospects (GEP): A semiannual report that examines worldwide economic trends, particularly in emerging and developing economies. (iv) Doing Business: A report that evaluates the regulatory environment for businesses in multiple nations. (v) Poverty and shared prosperity: Poverty reduction and inclusive growth are the primary objectives. — Global Financial Stability Report and World Economic Outlook are published by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). QUESTION 3 Which of the following countries has tested a hydrogen-based explosive that generates a white-hot firestorm lasting more than two seconds, 15 times longer than a standard TNT blast, without the use of nuclear material? (a) Russia (b) Japan (c) Ukraine — According to the South China Morning Post, Chinese researchers have tested a hydrogen-based explosive that produces a white-hot blaze lasting more than two seconds—15 times longer than a standard TNT blast— without the use of nuclear material. — According to a report published in the Journal of Projectiles, Rockets, Missiles, and Guidance, the 2-kilogram weapon detonated during a controlled field test and achieved temperatures of more than 1,000 degrees Celsius. The device was created by the 705 Research Institute of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), a major developer in underwater weapons technology. — The bomb's persistent heat effect is due to its usage of magnesium hydride, a silvery powder that serves as a solid-state hydrogen storage material. Magnesium hydride, originally developed to power fuel cells in off-grid areas, emits hydrogen gas when heated, allowing for an extended exothermic reaction when ignited. With reference to the Catholic population, consider the following statements: 1. In 1910, Europe was home to 65% of Catholics. 2. Presently, the maximum population of Catholics live in South and Central America. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Explanation — The College of Cardinals, which will assemble to elect a new head of the Catholic Church, may well choose someone from outside Europe, reflecting the shift in the worldwide basis of Catholicism (and Christianity in general) from Europe to the worldwide South. — According to the Annuarium Statisticum Ecclesiae 2023, published by the Vatican's Central Office of Church Statistics in March, the world's Catholic population will reach 1.4 billion in 2023. — More than 72% of the world's Catholics lived in South and Central America (41.2%), Africa (20%), and Asia (11%), combined. According to Vatican News, the Holy See 's official news source, 20.4% of the Catholic population lived in Europe, with 6.6% in North America. Hence, statement 2 is correct. — The situation was drastically different in the early twentieth century. According to Pew Research Centre data from 1910, Europe had 65% of Catholics and Latin America had about 24%. Hence, statement 1 is correct. The term 'axis of resistance' is often mentioned in the news. It is related to: (a) Canada (b) Russia (c) Myanmar — Saudi Arabia's Defence Minister, Prince Khalid bin Salman, met with Iran's Prime Minister and Chief of the Armed Forces, delivering a message from King Salman to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. — Iran continues to pursue a regional order that is shaped without the United States. Tehran's 'Axis of Resistance' has typically been a modular weapon that has turned on US forces in the region to inflict (usually limited) harm. This gives Tehran a powerful negotiation piece to inflict human and material expenses on the US military, which is scattered across bases in Arab states (with the largest in Qatar). — The ' axis of resistance ' has its roots in the Iranian Revolution of 1979, which allowed extreme Shia Muslim clergy to rise to power. — Former US President George W Bush is reported to have inspired the coalition's name by using the words 'axis of evil' in his 2002 State of the Union speech, referring to Iran, Iraq, and North Korea. — The Axis includes not just Hamas, the Palestinian group, but also the Hezbollah movement in Lebanon, the Houthi movement in Yemen, several Shi'ite armed factions in Iraq, and Syria.
