Fatimah Kari

Malaysia's National Automotive Policy and the Performance of Proton's Foreign and Local Vendors

This contribution seeks to examine the performance of Protons government supported supplier programmes. Using secondary data the contribution compares the performance of local and foreign automotive parts suppliers. The results show that foreign suppliers performed better than local suppliers. Interviews suggest that access to superior technology from abroad is the prime determinant of the inferior performance of local suppliers compared to foreign suppliers. Local firms lack firm-specific advantages that foreign multinational suppliers enjoy.

Evaluating the Role of Subsidy Reform in Addressing Poverty Levels in Malaysia: A CGE Poverty Framework

Abstract Malaysia as one of the top subsidised countries around the world has launched to reduce subsidies to capture its development goals. This study, therefore, analyses the effects of the subsidy reform on the macroeconomic, welfare and poverty levels of Malaysia by applying a CGE model. The findings suggest that subsidy removal leads to significant falls in both income and consumption of rural, urban and non-citizen households, and consequently decreases their welfare. However, poverty levels among rural households will most likely increase significantly when compared to urban households due to their relatively low level of income compared to other groups.

Pro-environmental behavior and public understanding of climate change

The aim of this article is to examine whether awareness, knowledge and risk perception of climate change have significant influence on attitudes and pro-environmental behaviour. The study found that awareness, knowledge and risk perception of climate change positively influence the formation of favourable attitudes future action climate change. In addition, this paper also found mediated relationship through attitudes between awareness, knowledge, risk perception and pro-environmental behaviour. The paper argues that people are more likely to accept pro-environmental behaviours only if they have sufficient understanding of the adverse impacts of no action. This study offers decision makers field data to formulate relevant environmental policies and strategies in Malaysia.

Environmental regulation through trade: the case of shrimp.

The implications of a potential ban on shrimp imports by the US from countries that do not utilize the Turtle Excluder Device on commercial shrimp nets is explored in this paper. A Linear Expenditure System (LES) was used to determine the own-price elasticities of demand for shrimp imports. The system of estimated equations was then solved for quantity levels under assumptions made about the trade restrictions, resulting in a set of prices for those import levels. These estimated prices were then used to estimate the compensating variation impact of the trade restrictions. Findings suggest that the environmental regulation would have a negative impact on US consumers, but the magnitude of that effect depends on assumptions made regarding the distribution of US imports after the trade restriction is imposed.

Assessing the performance of co-operatives in Malaysia: an analysis of co-operative groups using a data envelopment analysis approach

This study assesses the performance of co-operatives in Malaysia by evaluating 56 out of the 70 co-operative groups. The productivity and efficiency of the groups were evaluated in the first- and second-stage analysis by employing the data envelopment analysis and Tobit regression model. Despite the financial and non-financial support by the federal government and perceived significant role played by the co-operatives in the countrys development, the findings indicate that the performance of co-operatives have not been satisfactory. Only 19.6% of the groups under study were found to be efficient and the ‘big co-operatives’ that comprise less than 2% of total co-operatives in the country dominated among the successful ones. The results endorse the general perception that co-operatives in Malaysia are facing challenges necessitating immediate attention.

Global warming and climate change: prospects and challenges toward long-term policies in Bangladesh

Because of its geographic location, low elevation of sea level, high population density, over dependence on natural resource and less ability to cope with the issues, Bangladesh is considered as one of the most vulnerable countries in confronting the challenges of climate change and impact of global warming. Understanding this background, this study enlightens recent climate change experiences, efforts at national and international level, frameworks of policies and national outlines. This study identifies three areas to deal with climate change vision. They are aissues bimpacts congoing initiatives for strategies and evaluations and policy preparations. Experiences of this study can be useful for the operational tools in dealing with climate change related visions in Bangladesh and elsewhere with similar economic and ecological conditions.

Impact of climate change: an empirical investigation of Malaysian rice production

This paper examines the possible impact of climate change on Malaysian rice production. Using the Ricardian Method and farm household data, we have examined the effects on rice producers focusing on sharecropper adaptations and ecological causes. The principle goal of this research paper is to investigate the impact of climate variables such as temperature, rainfall and precipitation on rice production during main and off seasons, in Kedah, Malaysia. The main purpose of this paper is to examine how climate change affects the net income of paddy farmers in the study area. The statistically significant results show that temperature, rainfall, farm size, educational knowledge, land area and value of labour input have an impact on rice production per hectare revealing potential impacts of climate vulnerability on Malaysian agriculture. The results showed that net revenue increased by Ringgit Malaysia (RM 1=

Climate change issues and Malaysian initiatives

0.3277) 4.78 per hectare throughout the main seasons as a result of minimal increase in the temperature while there is a decrease of RM 3.02 in the net revenue per hectare during off seasons. During the off season, rainfall increased revenue per hectare by RM 1.32 and during the main season it reduced revenue per hectare by RM 1.01. The evidence from this study may be useful for Malaysian policymakers to facilitate greater preventive measures during the main and off-seasons to counteract climate uncertainty and vulnerability.

Poverty within watershed and environmentally protected areas: the case of the indigenous community in Peninsular Malaysia

The purpose of this paper is to describe Malaysian climate change experiences, to highlight the lack of Malaysian initiatives in drafting a national policy on climate change, the structures, activities and national agenda of climate change issues. A description of possible climate change impacts on Malaysia, some facts and figures together with activities, structures and the national agenda are provided in this study. This study emphasises that sustainable long-term economic policy requires a workable framework for climate change and vulnerabilities that have not yet been covered in the national economy. Malaysia must visualise appropriate futures and frameworks on climate change issues, potential changes and national initiatives for planning strategies to reduce vulnerabilities. This study draws attention to the fact that Malaysia ranked 52 out of 57 in the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) in 2009. Malaysian climate protection performance still lags behind other countries in the region. This study evaluates and discusses current information about on-going policy preparations on climate change issues, and provides a critical review to improve Malaysian climate change-related initiatives.

Barriers to Renewable Energy Development: Five Fuel Policy in Malaysia

Abstract“Indigenous people” have been acknowledged as among the poorest and most socio-economically and culturally marginalized all over the world. This paper explores the socio-economic status of the indigenous people and their poverty profile within watershed and environmentally protected areas in Peninsular Malaysia. The findings of the study indicate that the “indigenous community” is likely to be poor if they live in environmentally sensitive and unprotected areas as compared to families under the new resettlement scheme. Inadequate access to basic education and employment contributed significantly to their poor economic status. The findings further reveal that the indigenous community is facing difficulties in receiving access and support in terms of basic needs such as housing, education, economic livelihood, and other social infrastructure. Moreover, the regulatory structure for the management of watershed areas as well as the emphasis for commodity crops such as palm oil and natural rubber have indirectly contributed toward the poverty level of the indigenous people.