- Primary Stage of Socialism in China
At his Press conference, Wen Jiabao acknowledged the need for political reforms in order to tackle many of China’s problems. For example, he blamed corruption on "excessive concentration of power" and a "lack of effective checks and oversight", adding: "This makes it necessary to reform our system" by diffusion of power and enhancing public supervision of the government.There is also a need to change deep-rooted ways of thinking. Traditionally, government officials have considered themselves as superior to ordinary people. Wen showed a desire to change this concept by using the term "public servants". Government officials, he said, "should be good public servants and serve the people. They do not have any other power." Thousands of years of tradition will not be easy to overcome. But Wen suggests that the government is planning to lead the way. - Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Fair Enough?
This year is laced with an unusually large dose of irony. 2007 has been set up as a splendid celebration of half a century of nationhood and sovereignty, with Malaysia emerging as a successful, modern democracy that has succeeded in avoiding any encumbrances by over-dependence on other nations, especially those which wield considerable strategic strength.But it is also a year when this hard won independence is under jeopardy. Independence is not just freeing us from colonial masters. Independence is also about maintaining our sovereignty and being able to freely pursue policies without having to answer to another country.Simply put, independence must be safeguarded at all times so we can do what we want to do based on what we think is in our collective interests as Malaysians. - Paid To Passage Straits Of Malacca
Moreover, the amount to be paid is a mere drop in the ocean and won't threaten their bottom line. The stepped-up naval patrols and aerial surveillance by Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore have been effective in reducing piracy, but these are expensive affairs and so are the buoys, lighthouses and other navigation aids, and the measures to clean up oil spills.Since the littoral states have taken purposeful measures to come to grips with the issues of safety, security and pollution, it is incumbent on the international maritime community to lend them a hand.It is time the shipping industry took on board the idea that it too should contribute financially to the upkeep of one of the world’s busiest sea lanes. - Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) On Sustainable Development
At the same time, income inequality in Malaysia is narrowing, although University of Texas Income Inequality Project (UTIP) indicators still show somewhat high inequality among Malaysians.The UTIP data estimates overall income inequality, primarily using annual manufacturing wages since wages are the main component of income, as opposed to the traditional method of estimating income inequality from the twice-a-decade Household Income Surveys conducted by the Statistics Department of Malaysia. - The Malaysia - US Free Trade Agreement
The expiry of the US President’s fast-track authority in June has been cited as one of the main reasons for the need for a quick conclusion to the Malaysia-US free trade agreement.The fast-track authority requires a "yes" or "no" vote in Congress without amendments to the agreement hammered out by negotiators.It is argued that if the window of opportunity is not exploited to conclude the negotiations, the bilateral agreement faces the "danger" of being "scrutinized line by line" by the Democrat-controlled Congress.And there are concerns that with such close scrutiny, the agreement may not be approved by the House of Representatives, which is increasingly becoming protectionist.
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