Social and Economic Research Initiative (SERI) is delighted to announce the successful completion of our research forum event supported by Microsoft Malaysia. The forum took place earlier today, in conjunction with celebrations for International Women’s Day. Read more.

With the government expected to table the Tobacco and Smoking Control Act in the upcoming session of the Dewan Rakyat, SERI firmly believes that the introduction of this bill will be beneficial to Malaysians, especially those in the B40 category. Read more.

Malaysia will enter a nationwide lockdown on the 1st of June 2021, at a time when daily cases have exceeded 9000 and more than 2500 deaths. A total lockdown is undoubtedly necessary in order to “flatten the curve” and allow the healthcare system to recuperate. As the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) makes clear the list of economic and service sectors deemed “essential” we must be cognisant that this lockdown will not affect everyone equally - some will undoubtedly suffer more than others Read more.

On March 29th 2021, Facebook announced plans to lay two new undersea cables connecting Singapore and Indonesia with North America in a partnership with regional telecommunication companies and Google. The two cables, Echo and Bifrost, are in the process of receiving domestic regulatory approval and are scheduled to be completed in 2023 and 2024, respectively. 

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Sekalipun wanita di Malaysia cemerlang dalam bidang pendidikan dan kesihatan, namun masih ketinggalan berbanding lelaki dalam penyertaan ekonomi dan politik. 7 daripada 10 barisan hadapan terdiri daripada wanita, namun mereka hanya menerima RM94.07 berbanding RM 100 bagi lelaki.  Baca Lanjutan.

SERI commends Budget 2024’s recognition of the financial struggles of young people. The expansion of Dasar Peluang Kedua for those under 40 with debts below RM200,000 and the increase in Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) from RM350 to RM500 demonstrates the government's commitment to easing their financial burden and enhancing their quality of life. Read more.

While the bold aspirations laid out in the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint (MyDIGITAL) certainly promise to propel Malaysia forward, there have been some recent policy decisions resulting in great concern across the technology industry. One such decision is the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC)’s intent to subject data centres and cloud service providers to the licensing obligations of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (CMA 1998). Read more.

SERI supports the recent Joint Statement of the OECD Committee on Digital Economy Policy calling for policy guidance on trusted government access to personal data held by the private sector. With the increasing importance of data for digital transformation and data-driven policymaking, access to and sharing of data has become critical, particularly towards the enhancement of public service delivery and identification of emerging governmental and societal needs. Read more.

Data provides the necessary fuel for emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Computing. “We welcome the Government’s bold and progressive vision as set out in the Malaysia Digital Economic Blueprint”, shared Dr Jasmine Begum, Director of Legal & Government Affairs, ASEAN and SEA New Markets, Microsoft.  Read more.

Social and Economic Research Initiative (SERI) welcomes Prime Minister Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s “Memperkasa Ekonomi Madani” agenda, with its stated goals of raising both the floor as well as the ceiling. As a think tank dedicated to supporting and promoting policy initiatives that bridge the gaps in our society, SERI takes a particular interest in ideas that directly target those most vulnerable in our society. Read more.

With the government expected to table the Tobacco and Smoking Control Act in the upcoming session of the Dewan Rakyat, SERI firmly believes that the introduction of this bill will be beneficial to Malaysians, especially those in the B40 category. Read more.

Malaysia cannot afford to continue waiting for centralised decision-making on the back of assumptions from a different era. There are differences to the uniformity of issues, preferences, and resources across our 13 states and the federal territories. A lack of agile governance increases the likelihood that 2021 will be memorable for the wrong reasons, as far as primary and secondary education are concerned. Read more.

The World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2020 revealed that gender parity will not be attained for 99.5 years. While women in Malaysia excel in education and healthcare, women continue to lag behind men in economic and political participation. Despite women comprising 7 in 10 of our frontliners, for every RM100 in salaries and wages received by men, women only receive RM94.07. Read more.