The Gods and The King of Fruits

Good read. Nature Contained: Environmental Histories of Singapore : Timothy Barnard (Author, Editor). 2014.

I find this part interesting. Luckily I don't eat durian.

Low wages linked to fewer, weaker unions

The goods and services tax (GST) which kicked in on April 1 has turned the spotlight once again on the country’s low-wage rut, with economists pointing at the weakening bargaining power of workers, influx of migrant labour and national economic policies as the main causes.

A long-standing problem, experts have said low wages were the result of Malaysia's industrialisation policy, which has long focused on the manufacturing sector.

But it also correlates with a steady fall in union membership, in part caused by dependence on foreign labour.

In fact, an economist at a recent forum on the welfare of Malaysians, said better bargaining rights for workers, such as through unions, could ensure better wages and benefits.

Public Forum : Redesigning an Inclusive Future.

                                                               All are welcome

Public Forum : The First Malaysian Human Development Report: REDESIGNING AN INCLUSIVE FUTURE

The Department of Development Studies & Centre for Poverty and Development Studies (CPDS),

University of Malaya

Welcome all to a public forum 

The First Malaysian

Human Development Report: REDESIGNING AN INCLUSIVE FUTURE

• Tan Sri Dr. Kamal Salih , Adjunct Professor, University of Malaya 
• Dr. Muhammed Abdul Khalid, Director of Research, Khazanah Research Institute 
• Dr. Lee Hwok Aun, Senior Lecture, University of Malaya

    Date : Wednesday, 25 March 2015
    Time :    3:00 – 5:00pm
    Venue:   Lecture Hall 3 (Dewan Kuliah 3), Faculty of Economics & Administration, Uni Malaya

For decades, Malaysia generated economic growth, transformed its profile from a 

primary goods producer to a manufacturing exporter, reduced income poverty and 

inequality, raised education and health attainments, and moderated ethnic disparities. 

Growth has been sustained and shared through consecutive implementation of a series 

of development policies. However, socioeconomic progress has slowed down since the 

1997 Asian financial crisis. Notably, contemporary Malaysia sees persisting inequalities, 

especially of regional, gender and ethnic dimensions, and lagging development of human 

capability, of institutions fostering inclusiveness and of effective governance. Social 

exclusion, barriers to social mobility and economic insecurity stand in tension against the 

objective of greater inclusiveness woven through all development visions and plans.

Malaysia’s first Human Development Report defines inclusive growth as comprising 

equitable distribution of benefits of economic growth and of social spending across 

distinct income groups and the poor irrespective of their group membership; robust 

generation of broadly accessible opportunity for economic participation and safeguards 

for the vulnerable; and inclusion of citizens in policy formulation and implementation, 

towards minimizing social exclusion and increasing social cohesion. In accordance with 

the breadth of inclusive growth, we adopt a multidisciplinary and multidimensional 

approach encompassing economic, social, political and legal elements, highlighting 

regional, gender, ethnic and aspects of relative deprivation.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

TCOI ranked 3rd for 2014 Best English Adult Non-Fiction

The Star : March 19, 2015 : 

Fairy tale outcome for local authors at awards

PUTRAJAYA: It was a good day for the Malaysian book industry yesterday, as local authors took home many of the major prizes at the MPH Best of 2014 Awards.

Malaysian horror author Tunku Halim took the prize in the Best English Adult Fiction category with his anthology Horror Stories, triumphing over international best-sellers such as Cecilia Ahern’s Love Rosie, Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl, Lang Leav’s Lullabiesand Haruki Murakami’s Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki And His Years Of Pilgrimage.

“The book has long been one of our top sellers,” said Nik Adam, distribution manager of the book’s publisher, Fixi. He accepted the award on behalf of an absent Halim.

“We are surprised that we mana­ged to win in a category with other talented nominees like Murakami, but also very happy, of course,” he added.

Another local winner was cartoonist Datuk Muhammad Nor Khalid, better known as Lat, who won the Best English Adult Non-Fiction award for his latest book, Forever Lat.

The other nominees in this category were Nick Vujicic’s Love Without Limits, Keri Smith’s Wreck This Journal, Boey Chee Ming’s When I Was A Kid 3 and Dr Muhammad Abdul Khalid’s The Colour Of Inequality.

The awards were presented to the winners by Perbadanan Putrajaya president Tan Sri Aseh Che Mat du­ring a special ceremony at the official opening of the Putrajaya International Book Fair (PIBF) here.

The awards were held in conjunction with the PIBF to honour both internationally and locally published books that were released in 2014.

Nominees were selected from a list of over 250 titles, with winners selected based on criteria such as overall sales at MPH bookstores nationwide and online in 2014, as well as reviews and recommendations from book buyers and international websites.

For Malay titles, Azura Rasiddin’s Teman Lelaki Upahan took home the award for Best Malay Fiction, while DIAgnosis by Dr Anwar Faizal, Dr Aizzat and Dr Azah won the Best Malay Non-Fiction award.

Other winners were Tony Robbins’ Money: Master The Game for Best Business book, Master Ally Che’s Reiki for Best Chinese, and Jeff Kinney’s Diary Of A Wimpy Kid Vol 9: The Long Haul for Best Young Adult Fiction.

MPH Bookstores chief operating officer Donald Kee said the award winners this year were “fantastic”.

According to him, the prevalence of local winners is a promising development for the Malaysian book industry.

“We are on the right track, and we need to have more publications and events like this to encourage every­one, from writers to booksellers,” Kee said.

The Star is the media partner for the Putrajaya Book Fair 2015, which is supported by Perbadanan Putrajaya.

Organised by MPH Bookstores, the fair began on Tuesday at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre and will continue until Sunday. For more information, go to mphonline.com/offers/pibf.aspx.

link http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/03/19/Local-authors-win-big-at-MPH-Best-of-2014-Awards/

Are You Paid Enough For Your Work?

How much do Malaysians earn? Take a guess.

BFM Breakfast Grille - INEQUALITY - UNCOMFORTABLE FACTS AND FRAMEWORKS

"“Some of the statements in the book would also make uncomfortable reading both for those in power and in the political opposition,” says one reviewer. Now a bestseller, Muhammad’s book takes on many common perceptions about the question of inequality and related policies like the New Economic Policy. But the real strength and contribution of the book is in the new research as well as an insistence to think more deeply about inequality beyond income."