PRESS STATEMENT: INSAP APPOINTS WOON KING CHAI AS NEW DIRECTOR
The Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy Research (INSAP) is pleased to announce the appointment of Woon King Chai as its new Director, effective immediately.
News 2023
Press Statement – 15th Asian Conference of the Valdai Discussion Club
Kuala Lumpur, 25 November 2024 – The 15th Asian Conference of the Valdai Discussion Club is set to convene on December 9, 2024, at Royale Chulan Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, marking a significant milestone in fostering constructive dialogues on the most pressing issues shaping geopolitical and economic landscapes of our time. Organized by the ValdaiDiscussion Club, Bait Al Amanah, Sasakawa Peace Foundation, and Institute of StrategicAnalysis and Policy Research, this gathering will bring together policymakers, academics, thought leaders, and industry players from Malaysia, Russia and the broader Asia-Pacific region.
PRESS STATEMENT: Great Numbers, but what does it mean to the Rakyat?
Datuk Dr Pamela Yong, Chairman of INSAP shares her views on the importance of Malaysia’s domestic economy resilience in light of MOUs signed during Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s recent visit to Malaysia.
PRESS STATEMENT: Malaysia’s Resilience Amidst Weaponisation of Global Economic Systems
The Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy Research (INSAP) had the honour of participating in a thought-provoking forum entitled “Weaponisation of Economics and Restoring the Global Economic Order” on 13 June 2024 at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).
Resonating with the crowd, INSAP calls for the Malaysian administration and neighboring ASEAN countries to take proactive steps that will strengthen regional economic resilience while also ensuring effective contribution to maintaining the functionality of the multilateral trading system which has been vital to the region over the past century
OP-ED: THE CONTRADICTORY ECONOMIC INDICATORS – THE REAL COST FOR ORDINARY MALAYSIANS
A survey by the UCSI Poll Research Centre published in February this year had delivered a painful revelation: an overwhelming 89% of Malaysians are deeply troubled by the rising cost of living, with a nearly equal 87% currently grappling with severe financial stress.
The cost of living (COL) will remain a mountainous challenge for us, even with the easing of headline inflation and forecasts of stronger economic growth in 2024. COL has become a systemic issue, and our Ringgit value has plummeted, exacerbating financial strain across the nation.
The average Malaysians are feeling the pinch as the country’s economy grew slower than expected in the fourth quarter of 2023, with subdued exports contributing to one of the weakest GDP growth rates in recent history.
INSAP: GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO TABLE THE SUBSIDY RATIONALISATION MECHANISM AND SHOW HOW IT IMPACTS THE RAKYAT
INSAP Chairman Datuk Dr Pamela Yong emphasised that the people expect good governance and transparency from the Madani government in regards to the rationalisation plan that would see subsidies removed for some segments of the Malaysian public. If the government remains resolute in its insistence that PADU, despite its well-documented shortcomings, is the linchpin for identifying subsidy recipients, then immediate transparency is paramount. The Economic Ministry must publish the rationale behind this mechanism and clearly define criteria for qualification. Furthermore, they cannot obfuscate the potential consequences of subsidy removal. The economic ramifications could easily eclipse any anticipated government savings.
INSAP Expects High Cost of Living in the Coming Months
Kuala Lumpur, 21 March 2024: Malaysians are feeling the pinch of rising costs from costly utility bills to our favourite bazaar Ramadan delicacies rising by at least 20% with raw items like vegetables and meat prices going up. Malaysians are now lamenting that food and other basic items are becoming less affordable. “Prices have gone …
INSAP Expects High Cost of Living in the Coming Months Read More »
SMEs prefer GST over SST, says think tank
Insap said it was of the view that the SST and proposed new taxes such as the Low-Value Goods (LVG) and High-Value Goods (HVG) taxes, introduced in January 2024 and from March 1, respectively, disproportionately impact vulnerable groups.
“The priority is to address the people’s burden in having to face a downturn in the global economy,” Insap chairman Datuk Dr Pamela Yong said.
DPP Banteng Muda Indonesia Visits MCA HQ: “Living the Rukun Negara Like the Pancasila”
19 January 2024 PRESS RELEASE : Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy Research (INSAP) DPP Banteng Muda Indonesia Visits MCA HQ: “Living the Rukun Negara Like the Pancasila” Today, the Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy Research (INSAP) kicks off 2024 with its first international engagement for the year by inviting the youth wing of …
DPP Banteng Muda Indonesia Visits MCA HQ: “Living the Rukun Negara Like the Pancasila” Read More »
YOUTH UNDER-EMPLOYMENT IN MALAYSIA: Factors and its implications on Malaysia’s growth and future
The youth underemployment1 situation in Malaysia has yet to garner the needed attention despite its concerning numbers. In 2021, there were 4.57 million employed graduates, where 2.9% were time-related underemployed2 while 33.9% were skill-related-underemployed3. Overall, the proportion of underemployed youth (% of total graduate workforce) has remained largely unchanged from 2017 to 2023 while nominal numbers show an uptrend, showing a need for reassessment of intervention strategies.
With underemployment among youth comes various other challenges, including a relatively low average salary for graduates. In fact, 28.7% of graduate placements in 2022 began with monthly earnings below RM1,999. Couple this with the lack of high-skilled job creation (only 12% of jobs created per annum from 2010 to 2019), there is little room for these graduates to experience both career and wage advancements. Additionally, the market of medium to low skill jobs become more concentrated as higher skilled graduates are pushed into these sectors, competing with lower skilled graduates hence further pressure to push down real wages.
What are the consequences of a delayed action to deal with this?