[Based on REFSA Says A big fat ‘F’ for Fail (Part 2): The ETP has failed ordinary Malaysians, published on 21 March 2013.]   Download the PDF version

Download the PDF version —————— Sources:  [1] Najib: More time needed to show results before polls. Available at http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/223685 Retrieved 25 March 2013. [2] PEMANDU eventually revised the 49% growth claim to 41%. The agency says the change in figures is to comply with the new accounting methods adopted by United Nations. Read more in Pemandu revises income growth down on [...]

[This is a condensed version of REFSA's focus paper Cabinet & Parliamentary Rebalancing (Part 3): A weightier Parliament and a slimmer Cabinet on how a beefed up Parliament with bi-partisan, powerful, and well-resourced committees can help our government avoid stinks.]  Download the PDF version

[This is a condensed version of REFSA's focus paper Cabinet & Parliamentary Rebalancing (Part 2): The tangled mass of 68 Ministers and Deputies on how our bloated Cabinet can be trimmed for the benefit of Malaysians.]  Download the PDF version

[This is a condensed version of REFSA's focus paper Cabinet & Parliamentary Rebalancing (Part 1): Why our government needs CPR - an in-depth diagnosis of the ailments afflicting Malaysia's sclerotic Cabinet, and why some of its colossal mass could be better used if reallocated to Parliament.] Download the PDF version

Imagine that you are the owner of a restaurant. Would you ask a waiter to oversee the manager’s performance? No? But that is exactly what is happening with the management of our country! In our Westminster-style model of democratic government, Parliament is supposed to be the watchman making sure the federal government acts in the [...]

The more the messier. Researchers have found that performance of national governments declines as Cabinets grow larger. Parkinson of Parkinson’s Law fame noted that it is critical for Cabinets to have less than 21 ministers if decision-making is to be efficient. Our government shamelessly defies the ‘law’ with a whopping 30 ministers and 38 deputies. [...]

The Malaysian Cabinet runneth over. We have a whopping 30 ministers and 38 deputy ministers overseeing 25 ministries! In comparison, the Cabinets of the UK (which has a far larger population) and the entire continent of Australia comprise just 22-23 ministers each. In fact, we have nearly as many ministers as the 33 in India, [...]

Every year, eyes are peeled and ears are pricked for the Budget speech by the Prime Minister. The speech, unfortunately, is more theatre than substance. It highlights populist measures and dangles enticing carrots in the name of caring for the rakyat. But, are these glorified goodies really weeding out the root of the problems, or [...]

Every year, eyes are peeled and ears are pricked for the Budget speech by the Prime Minister. The speech, unfortunately, is more theatre than substance. It highlights populist measures and dangles enticing carrots in the name of caring for the rakyat. But, are these glorified goodies really weeding out the root of the problems, or [...]