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This text contains an examination of processes of cultural citizenship in peninsular Malaysia. ... Read more

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This book analyses the Malaysian economy amidst the smooth transfer of power from Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad to Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi towards the end of 2003. With Abdullah at the helm, Malaysia's future is in good hands. The wave of globalization, the liberalization of markets and a maturing society in terms of political and social sophistication provide both opportunities and challenges for the nation.

Abdullah has, in 2004, continued to build upon Dr. Mahathir's many achievements. At the same time, he has introduced and implemented strategies of his own to propel the nation forward in the 21st century. To achieve the goals of Vision 2020, there will be many obstacles that the nation will have to overcome. At a time of extraordinary change, Abdullah has emerged as a leader in his own right, steering the nation towards further socioeconomic growth with greater equity and national unity. ... Read more

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In recent years, privatisation has fallen out of favour in many countries because the underlying political factors have not been well understood. This book examines Malaysia’s privatisation programme, focusing on how political constraints resulted in the failure of four major privatisations: the national sewerage company (IWK), Kuala Lumpur Light Rail Transit (LRT), national airline (MAS), and national car company (Proton). It considers why developing countries such as Malaysia might want to embark on privatisation, the factors that lead to policy failure, and what is needed to make it work. It shows clearly that political motives driving privatisation often dominate purely economic considerations, and thus it is necessary to analyse privatisation within the specific country context. It argues that failure in the Malaysian case was due to political considerations that compromised institutional design and regulatory enforcement, leading to problems associated with corruption. It concludes that privatisation does not necessarily improve incentives for efficiency or enhance the finance available for capital investment, and that successful privatisation depends on the state’s institutional and political capacity to design and manage an appropriate set of subsidies. Overall, this book is a comprehensive examination of privatisation in Malaysia, providing important insights for understanding the political economy of this process in other developing countries.

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The first comprehensive study of the involvement of Malay, Chinese, and Indian women in the politics of Malaysia, this volume traces the rise and growth of the major women's auxiliaries of various political parties and notes their contribution to the evolution of the political party system in Malaysia.Unearthing previously untapped historical information, Dancz examines the nature of women's participation within the party system and analyzes the reasons why women became active, the conditions under which these auxiliaries were formed, and the political and social constraints under which they operated. ... Read more

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Partial Contents:

An Electoral One Party StateMalaysian Constitution After 50 YearsThe Monarchy & State GoverningFederalism in MalaysiaThe Cabinet: Highest Decision Maker of the LandGovernment Agencies & Public ServicesThe Legislative: The Role & Functions of ParliamentThe Judiciary & the ConstitutionPolitical Parties in Malaysia: People & PoliticsElectoral System: 50 Years & Beyond ... Read more

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This substantial new book examines key economic, political and social aspects of Malaysia at the turn of the new century. It covers the years of rapid growth and dramatic structural change leading up to the 1997 financial crisis, and the subsequent adjustments which enabled the economy to resume its vigorous advance. The authors critically address affirmative action policies aiming to help Malays enter the modern economy and make income distribution more equitable while reducing poverty. They look at case studies of persisting poverty amidst economic progress, and also scrutinize the development of East Malaysia with its special problems away from the center of power in Kuala Lumpur.

The authors review the direction of politics after Prime Minister Mahathir, as well as exploring Malaysia’s foreign, education, and labor policies. They canvass the idea of a ‘new Malay’ better adapted to modern society, investigate the position of the Chinese, examine the struggle for women’s rights within the religious framework of Islam, and discuss the contributions of Malaysian NGOs to ongoing changes. They finally draw together crucial issues facing Malaysia in the 21st century.

The contributors, who are leading scholars in their spheres, have produced a wide ranging and comprehensive guide to the economy and society of Malaysia. This book will be of great value and interest to students and scholars of Asian economics, development and social studies. ... Read more

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This is a comparative examination of reservation policy in USA, India and Malaysia. It addresses issues relevant to scholars as well as policy makers. The author has held senior decision making positions in the Sri Lankan administration, retiring as Secretary to the Ministry of Environment and Women's Affairs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Outstanding Resource for Future Policy makers
I believe that it is the first study of its kind and it could serve as an excellent resource for anyone with a serious interest in policy making. ... Read more

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This study of deforestation in Malaysia's three regions examines the different factors that shape them, the institutions and policies that determine forestry development, the ecological impact of deforestation, and sustainability. Much Malaysian deforestation reflects agricultural expansion or rural development and poverty alleviation projects, while logging became more significant after independence. Sabah and Sarawak have relied increasingly on the exploitation of their timber resources, and private greed and corruption at state level have overridden federal policies of sustainable management. The authors take a hard look at the economic and political forces in the international tropical timber trade. An ecologically rapacious emphasis on growth, coupled with politically powerful distribution coalitions, give little chance for policy reforms and no hope of radical change. The only pressure that has the slightest effect, it seems, is international criticism.
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Malaysia, home to some twenty million Muslims, is often held up as a model of a pro-Western Islamic nation. The government of Malaysia, in search of Western investment, does its best to perpetuate this view. But this isn't the whole story. Over the last several decades, Joseph Liow shows, Malaysian politics has taken a strong turn toward Islamism. This book offers a comprehensive analysis of the growing role of Islam in the last quarter century of Malaysian politics. Conventional wisdom suggest that the ruling UMNO party has moved toward Islamism to fend off challenges from the more heavily Islamist opposition party, PAS. Liow argues, however, that UMNO has often taken the lead in moving toward Islamism, and that in fact PAS has often been forced to react. The result, Liow argues, is a game of "piety-trumping" that will be very difficult to reverse, and that has dire consequences not only for the ethnic and religious minorities of Malaysia, but for their democratic system as a whole. ... Read more

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Challenging Authoritarianism in Southeast Asia is one of the first substantial comparative studies of contemporary Indonesia and Malaysia, homes to the world's largest Muslim population. Following the collapse of New Order rule in Indonesia in 1998, this book provides an in-depth examination of anti-authoritarian forces in contemporary Indonesia and Malaysia, assessing their problems and prospects. The authors discuss the roles played by women, public intellectuals, arts workers, industrial workers as well as environmental and Islamic activists. They explore how different forms of authoritarianism in the two countries affect the prospects of democratization, and examine the impact and legacy of the diverse social and political protests in Indonesia and Malaysia in the late 1990s. ... Read more