Following Kuomintang Chairman Lien Chan’s mainland trip, James Soong, chairman of the People First Party (PFP), successfully concluded his own visit to the mainland, creating a new wave of enthusiasm for cross-Straits exchanges and perhaps ushering in the spring of cross-Straits relations. Soong’s trip has further boosted the mutual understanding of people on both sides… Continue reading Trip helps build mutual trust across Straits
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Davos: Malaysia cannot afford to absent itself again
White snow covered much of Davos, plunging the temperature at this little hilly town in eastern Switzerland drastically from minus 9 degrees Celsius to minus 20. But, even such a severe chill failed to check the enthusiasm of 2,250 politico-economic and cultural elites across the world to discuss various issues affecting our world today. … Continue reading Davos: Malaysia cannot afford to absent itself again
Cyber Age: India’s infrastructural woes
IN the early 1990s, power generation was thrown open to the private sector but India still suffers from frequent blackouts and brownouts, which makes me wonder whether the goal of electric power for everyone in the country by 2012 would be easily reached. It was thought that if you opened up the economy, investors… Continue reading Cyber Age: India’s infrastructural woes
Malaysia-Japan ties set to grow
MALAYSIA’S outward looking foreign and trade policies have always embraced all countries, regardless of size, power or wealth. With poorer countries, Malaysia practises a “prosper thy neighbour” policy for security and improved trade prospects. With richer countries, the purpose is mutually enriching trade and investment arrangements. In the context of Asian regionalism, this has taken… Continue reading Malaysia-Japan ties set to grow
GE’s code of ethical conduct under test
It’s the world’s most admired corporation. It’s one of the most successful and one of the best managed. General Electric (GE) is also rated the most respected company in the world in terms of corporate governance, according to a 2004 global poll of CEOs conducted by the Financial Times and PricewaterhouseCoopers. In many ways, many… Continue reading GE’s code of ethical conduct under test
Long-overdue media reform returns to the spotlight
The scandals at Channel 5 and Channel 11 that have dominated media headlines for the past week are just a tip of an iceberg of underlying problems impeding long-delayed broadcast media reform, but the scandals are not without a positive spin-off. At the very least, they have put the issue of media reform back under… Continue reading Long-overdue media reform returns to the spotlight
Political flattery reaches dizzying new heights
Flattery, it seems, has become the order of the day within the highest corridors of power. When in doubt, praise, flatter, curry favour, back-scratch and/or ingratiate. You can’t go wrong. And your success is guaranteed as well, and instantly, too. If any proof is needed, just re-read this news item that appeared over the Songkran… Continue reading Political flattery reaches dizzying new heights
Stop rewinding, it’s time to press forward
Japan’s ambassador to China, Mr Koreshige Anami, said last Wednesday that Beijing opposed Tokyo’s bid for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council, and that even if Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi stopped visiting the Yasukuni Shrine, China would still not reverse its stance and support Japan. I posed this question to someone… Continue reading Stop rewinding, it’s time to press forward
Nuke trail traced to M’sia, Pakistan, Libya
Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police Department has found that a 3-D measuring tool, which was illegally exported by Mitutoyo Corp and discovered in Libya, was first sold to a Malaysian firm with close ties to a Pakistani scientist suspected of establishing an international black market for nuclear materials. The Kawasaki-based precision toolmaker is being investigated on suspicion… Continue reading Nuke trail traced to M’sia, Pakistan, Libya