Ahmad Martadha Mohamed

Industrialization and Sustainable Food Security: New Challenges for Malaysia

This paper calls for a renewed analysis of industrial policies in light of recent threat to the food security agenda in Malaysia. In particular, three new challenges and their implications for food security policies are discussed. National strategies to promote economic liberalization since the 1980s undermine the development of sustainable food security agenda. These challenges include (1) realignment of national policies from agricultural based to industrial based, (2) conversion of agricultural land, and (3) increased imports of food. This paper argues that analysis on food security agenda highlights a fundamental contradiction at the heart of the industrial project. It contends that unless current agricultural policies are drastically reformed, traditional patterns of food insecurity will continue to pose a greater threat to sustainable food production in Malaysia. This paper concludes that strategic government intervention is required to promote food security in the country.

Assessing Public Participation Initiatives in Local Government Decision-Making in Malaysia

ABSTRACT Increased public participation in government decisions contributes significantly to the enhancement of grass-roots democracy. This article assesses the level of involvement of local citizens in local government decisions in Malaysia. Public participation was assessed using questionnaires on the range and extent of initiatives used by local government. The questionnaires also probed citizens’ perceptions of these initiatives and expectations for greater citizen empowerment. Data were gathered from 206 local citizens randomly selected from six local authorities in the northern region of Malaysia. The findings reveal a desire on the part of local citizens to participate in their local government decision-making process.

Revisiting the role of universities in achieving MDGs

Much of the action toward the achievement of MDGs escapes the synergy required in making university education relevant and impactful. The sterility of degree-based education and the creation of ivory tower intellectuals are not the roles which any university can boast about in present times. Education which resonates with public action is the most important contribution of universities. Thus, every university also has an indirect responsibility to provide and develop its local community, and unfortunately, such contribution to developing community through various sustainable development efforts is often underestimated. The contentious issue is that public universities in Malaysia should play a strategic role in the economic and social development of the country and the regions where they are located. This is because university is an important player in the social system because of its supply of professionals that have universalistic skills which provide a better identification of social and economic responsibilities. This chapter, therefore, attempts to explore Malaysia’s public universities’ role in helping its surrounding community. Particular attention will be given to strategic innovation programs that help foster the development of the community ICT development. Using stakeholder theory and corporate social responsibility model as a framework of study, the study argues that public universities should move beyond its traditional mission of education and research and instead be more sensitive to and aware of the needs of its local community.