Malaysia's Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program is now at a difficult crossroad. The program was slated to see its first delivery in April of 2019, with the remaining ships being delivered every six months after that. It is now March 2021, nearly two years since the original due date, and it would appear no end is in sight for the troubled procurement project.
Despite the Ministry of Health's survey indicating that at least 2/3 of respondents are willing to be vaccinated against COVID-19, there is a significant proportion that remain hesitant, even opposed. This may even include healthcare professionals, members of parliament and learned members of society. This discussion is an opportunity for queries to be raised and addressed by those concerned. Webinar in Malay.
Few in Malaysia are serious about policy discourse. It is understandable for a poor nation but unusual for a middle-income nation with a relatively well-educated population such as Malaysia. The consequence of not having serious policy discourse is that policies are made on the fly and often based on personal preferences, whether genuine or being swayed by interest groups or partisan considerations. There are some explanations.
Despite surveys conducted by the Ministry of Health indicating that at least 2/3 of respondents are willing to be vaccinated against COVID-19, there is a significant proportion that remain hesitant or even opposed towards the existing vaccines. This may even include healthcare professionals, members of parliament and learned members of society. This forum is intended to provide a platform for discussion and an opportunity for queries to be raised and address by those concerned.
The results of GE14 shows that the model of a single dominant party in a political coalition no longer applies. The Malaysian political arena and voters have evolved, so must the approach of political parties. Malaysia's political parties must reset and envision a new coalition model that is based on the spirit of cooperation rather than dominance. We also need to rethink how we conceptualise the notion of political leadership.
A convincing political coalition across ethnic lines is the best formula for winning GE-15. In fact, without adequate racial representation, a ruling coalition's ongoing challenge will be political imbalance and instability. Article in Malay.
Malaysia's position on the Corruption Perception Index dropped 6 positions in 2020. The government's focus on a wholesome resilient post-pandemic recovery for the nation must include an intentional effort to increase the 'integrity of governance' of our public institutions. Article in Malay.
Parliament should be the government's strategic partner in handling the COVID-19 pandemic. In this regard, virtual sittings will enhance bipartisan consensus. Article in Malay.
When the NZ Parliament was postponed, its epidemic response committee was a recognition of the opposition's role to jointly manage COVID-19. The administration was called to testify on issues, proceedings were broadcasted live and every report was debated when parliament resumed. It guaranteed that the committee conducted itself transparently and openly, and ensured parliamentary scrutiny during the crisis.
When the NZ Parliament was postponed, its epidemic response committee was a recognition of the opposition's role to jointly manage COVID-19. The administration was called to testify on issues, proceedings were broadcasted live and every report was debated when parliament resumed. It guaranteed that the committee conducted itself transparently and openly, and ensured parliamentary scrutiny during the crisis. Article in Malay.