Malaysia in transition: A comparative analysis of Asian values, Islam Hadhari and 1Malaysia

This paper discusses on the principles of Asian values, propagated by Malaysia fourth prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, Islam Hadhari by the fifth prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, and 1Malaysia by the current prime minister Najib Razak. This paper gives a special attention to Abdullah and Islam Hadhari because it links the Mahathir’s period to current Najib’s leadership. The intension of this paper is to prove that actually these concepts are similar in theory and practice in stressing more on Islam and neo-feudalistic Malay agenda. In fact, Islam Hadhari is ironically a concept created by Mahathir himself to counter the idea of Islamic State from the Islamic party, PAS. Therefore, even after resigning from government, Mahathir’s agenda of Asian values is still being practiced.Najib Razak, current Prime Minister, on the other hand intended to promote quality leadership performance for the public and unity among the multiracial Malaysia.Although there are differences in term of the arguments for each of the idea, it is clear that these ideas or philosophies attempt to protect the real agenda of those three leaders which were to protect the political culture of neo-feudalism and ensure the ruling United Malays National Organization (UMNO) and Barisan Nasional (BN) will stay in power.This paper shows the debates between scholars in explaining the ideas and philosophies behind those three concepts in Malaysia’s realpolitik

Dasar luar Malaysia era Dato’ Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak: Keutamaan dalam aspek hubungan dua hala

Dasar luar Malaysia secara umumnya merupakan lanjutan daripada dasar dalam negeri. Dasar ini dibentuk untuk memelihara dan mempertahankan kepentingan politik, keselamatan dan ekonomi serta kepentingan utama yang lain. Ia dilihat tidak statik dan berkembang dengan mengambil kira perubahan kepimpinan serta keadaan politik dan ekonomi global yang sentiasa berubah. Kertas kerja ini akan melihat sejauhmanakah dasar luar Najib boleh menjamin kepentingan-kepentingan di atas terpelihara dan dipertahankan. Di samping itu, kertas kerja ini juga akan mengkaji sejauhmana diplomasi dua hala (hubungan dua hala) lebih signifikan berbanding dengan diplomasi pelbagai hala dalam era Najib. Diplomasi dua hala dikatakan menjadi keutamaan dalam dasar luar Malaysia dalam era Najib. Diplomasi dua hala dikatakan lebih efektif dan telus kerana hanya dua Negara yang terlibat dalam membincangkan isu-isu yang ada kena mengena di antara kedua-duanya. Di samping itu, ia dikatakan lebih efektif kerana kurangnya kerenah atau halangan yang boleh membantutkan usaha-usaha ke arah persepakatan dan kerjasama antara dua buah Negara yang terlibat

China dan Kuasa Hegemoni Baru Ekonomi

Kejatuhan empayar Soviet Union pada tahun 1990 telah menyaksikan bahawa China adalah satu-satunya negara besar tunggal yang berfahaman komunis di dunia dan berkemungkinan besar mengambil alih peranan yang dimainkanoleh Soviet Union sebelum ini. Kemunculan semula China di arena antarabangsa selepas menjalankan dasar isolasi dapat memberi impak yang besar terhadap negara-negara kuasa besar yang lain. Hasrat dan aspirasi China untuk kembali menjadi sebuah kuasa hegemoni baru terutamanya dalam aspek ekonomi bukan sahaja di peringkat serantau tetapi juga di peringkat global telah menjadikannya sebagai negara yang digeruni oleh kuasa besar yang lain. Artikel ini, akan membincangkan perubahan dasar ekonomi tertutupkepada dasar ekonomi terbuka yang diimplimentasikan oleh pemimpin negaraChina dalam usaha untuk menjana aktiviti perekonomian yang lebih kompetetifserta kepentingan keanggotaan China dalam Pertubuhan Perdagangan Dunia(WTO). Selain itu peranan kemasukan Hong Kong dan Macau turutmemangkin kepada pembangunan ekonomi China.

China dan kuasa hegemoni baru ekonomi

The result of the break up of the Soviet Union empire in 1990 saw the emergence of China as the sole super power which still clings to the Communist ideology. China thus has the potential of taking over the previously held role of the Soviet Union. The re-emergence of China in the international arena after a long period of isolation may create a great impact on other super powers. China’s intention and aspiration to be a new economic hegemonic power not only at regional but also at global levels makes China a country to be reckoned with. The writer will seek to discuss in this article three factors that contribute to China’s economic success; firstly, the developments that have taken place in the transformation of China’s economic policy from centrally controlled economy to that of open and free economy as implemented by the Chinese leadership as part of their effort to generate economic activities and increased competitiveness; secondly, the efforts in safeguarding China’s interests in the WTO; and lastly, the role of Hong Kong’s and Macau’s participation in China’s economic development

Penubuhan RCI perlu disegerakan

KOTA BHARU-Penubuhan suruhanjaya siasatan diraja (RCI) perlu disegerakan agar dapat merungkai segala persoalan berkaitan skandal yang mungkin terdapat dalam Bumiputra Malaysia Finance (BMF), dagangan tukaran wang asing (Forex) dan 1MDB

UMNO kena berani tawan Kelantan

Sudah sampai masa untuk UMNO Kelantan mengambil alih pemerintahan kerajaan negeri daripada PAS sekiranya UMNO betul-betul berkeinginan ke arah mencapai matlamat itu. Padasaat kritikal ini, sudah semestinya untuk UMNO memanfaatkan masa yang ada sekarang dan hari-hari mendatang untuk mempersiapkan, memperkemas dan memperkasakan jentera pilihanraya di semua 534 Pusat Daerah Mengundi (PDM) di seluruh Kelantan

“Work With Me, Not For Me”: Malaysia Under Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (2003-2009)” / Sivamurugan Pandian...[et al.]

This paper examines the political and executive leadership in Malaysia, with reference to the fifth Prime Minister, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. The Prime Minister is an important autonomous actor, a leader of the government party who also manages public bureaucracy and utmost, Abdullah is seen as the leader of the people. Policy agenda depends on the Prime Minister’s authority to either make an impact or bring changes. This paper will address the leadership style of Abdullah in the executive and policy-making and what kind of influence does he provide in policy-making and its implications in Malaysia’s political environment

Modelling Employers’ Adoption of Assistive Technology in Advancing Employment for Persons with Disabilities

Employers nowadays should stop worrying about accommodating disabled employees as appropriate assistive technologies (AT) could be adopted that fit with their employees’ limitations and help them work independently. Yet, little consideration is given to examining the adoption of AT by employers for employees with disabilities. As a result, the purpose of this study is to determine how an employer decides to adopt technology for their disabled employees and to look for any significant differences between gender and willingness to hire a disabled worker.This study's survey was conducted among 33 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Klang Valley, Malaysia. The judgement sampling technique is utilizsed for this study, where the selection of samples will be among the managers, officers or executives in charge of managing the disabled workers. This study has specifically examined the office assistant apps as the particular AT for disabled people that the government supplied to disabled communities (hearing aids, artificial legs, etc.). The result showed a positive and significant relationship between AT Perceived Usefulness and Intention to Adopt AT. In conclusion, this study provides comprehension of the extent of employers' readiness and interest in providing AT for their disabled employees to improve their capabilities

Malaysia-Singapore relations under Mohd Najib Tun Razak

Malaysia and Singapore enjoy and share a special relationship due to their geographical, historical, familial, cultural, political, economic and strategic features. Their relationship is characterized by interdependence.The competitive world has brought about a close neighborly cooperation between the two nations to build resilience and strength.This article will examine the state of bilateral relations between these two countries under Malaysia's Prime Minister Mohd. Najib, and will analyze the future prospect of Malaysia and Singapore under his era.Under his era, Malaysia has been embarking on a series of initiatives in improving her relationship with Singapore, leaving tensions that took place during Mahathir era. Looking at the history of relations between the two countries, the role of leadership has played important role in the up and down of relationship.Under new generation of leaders in these two countries, we expect that they have new visions and put more efforts to nurture good relations. Personal contacts involving leaders and government officials of both countries still become the bases of relations between these two closed neighbors.The understanding reached by the leaders of the two countries has been and remain the fundamental to preserving long term mutual benefits.Leaders of both countries can play significant roles in overcoming conflicts and finding solutions to the problems that besieged the relations between the two countries.If both countries could maintain the momentum and capitalize the benefits of these initiatives, we foresee that both countries will not enter into troubled relationships like the previous periods, but it augurs well for strengthened relationships in the future