Utter Economics - Penang Monthly (Page 2)

Structural changes needed in the way we use our human resource

10 min read

Market sensitive labour demand is a skills gap When 2009 rolled in there were genuine concerns over the impending retraction of Malaysia's economy. Jobs, especially in Penang, were closely tied with manufactured exports which...

by Chan Huan Chiang

Chan Huan Chiang

Turning Points: Ups and downs of Penang’s economy

10 min read

IntroductionWe take keen interest on economic news only because we realise that recessions have a way of creeping up on us and messing up whatever big plans w...

by Ong Wooi Leng

The fine art of estimating economic health

10 min read

When reports say that the economy is growing at six per cent, this number is the change in the real (i.e. adjusted for inflation) gross domestic product (GDP) over a one-year period.

by Chan Huan Chiang

Chan Huan Chiang

Penang’s Investment Numbers

9 min read

Introduction“There are no free rides” as the saying goes. To have output and growth, we need to make investments. Sir Roy Harrod in 1939 and Evsey...

by Ong Wooi Leng

Rising Commodity Prices – Alarm Bells For Malaysia?

13 min read

INTERNATIONAL BODIES INCLUDING the G-20, the FAO, the IEA, the IMF and the IBRD are worried1. These agencies rang the alarm bells recently, stating that risin...

by Herbert Poenisch

Herbert Poenisch

Reading The Numbers: The Bank Negara Report 2010

9 min read

THE BANK NEGARA REPORT on the economic performance of the nation in 2010 was released in March 2011. To date, SERI is the only Malaysian institution that analyses the central bank’s figures in the...

by Chan Huan Chiang

Chan Huan Chiang

On the Rise, But For How Long?

10 min read

FIRST TIME ARRIVALS to Penang as well as many Penangites are stunned not only by the construction “frenzy” of high rise residential buildings but...

by Herbert Poenisch

Herbert Poenisch

Household Debt in Malaysia – Is It Sustainable?

7 min read

ONE IMPORTANT LESSON from the financial crisis of 2007–2009 is that economic stability and financial fragility are not only influenced by consumer prices and wage inflation. Equally if not more important are asset price inflation, financial/corporate leverage and household leverage.

by Lim Mah Hui

Lim Mah Hui

The Wider Implications of Minimum Wage

12 min read

On June 30, 2011, the National Wage Consultative Council Act 2011 was passed after four hours of debate. It replaces the Wages Council Act 1947 and will assess wage levels by sectors, types and regions in preparation for a national minimum wage policy by the end of the year.

by Chan Huan Chiang

Chan Huan Chiang

Manning The State Government

9 min read

The Malaysian flag, now affectionately called the Jalur Gemilang, raised at the Stadium Merdeka in 1957 when Malaya became a new nation, bears a close resemblance to the American Stars and Stripes. The Malaysian flag’s red and white stripes represent one state each as do the star’s 13 points.

by Chan Huan Chiang

Chan Huan Chiang

Mind the child and grow the country

14 min read

Parents with young children tend to also be at the beginning of their career. And keeping both family and work life going is a tough balancing act. Nursery scho...

by Penang Monthly

Asia Rising - Asian Currencies Continue to Rise Against The USD

6 min read

THE UNIMAGINABLE happened when in early August this year the MYR-USD exchange rate dipped below RM3! The good news is that this is happening not only in Malaysi...

by Herbert Poenisch

Herbert Poenisch