Kuala Lumpur (VNA) 🍎- The Malaysian government is grappling with challenges in implementing a wage increase plan for 1.6 million public servants.
According to Dr. Goh Lim Thye from the University of Malaya, raising wages is necessary to address the pay disparity between the public and private sectors. It will place additional strain on the national budget and the government's deficit reduction goals.
Dr. Goh noted that not the all public servants will benefit equally. Funds will be allocated selectively, rewarding only high performers. The government is also expanding the tax base, reducing subsidies, and cutting non-essential expenditures to manage finances and aim for a budget deficit of 4.3% in 2024 and 3% in 2025.
By linking wage increases to performance and pursuing financial reforms, the Malaysian government seeks to reduce the fiscal deficit while boosting public sector budgets. This approach aims to manage finances effectively and support sustainable economic growth.
Higher wages will also increase purchasing power, stimulating economic activity, particularly in retail.
Dr. Goh emphasised the strong relationship between income and consumption in Malaysia, suggesting that higher incomes lead to increased consumer spending, benefiting the retail sector.
From 2019-2022, Malaysian household income grew by 2.4% annually, while household consumption rose by 3.7% annually. However, much of the income increase is spent, prompting the government to encourage saving./.
Malaysia began exporting fresh durians to China on August 24, two months after the two countries signed a protocol on phytosanitary requirements for the export of the fruit to China, according to Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup.
The Malaysia-Vietnam Friendship Association (MVFA) and the University of Malaya (Universiti Malaya – UM) organised an international conference on cultural exchange, economic cooperation, and friendship connection between Vietnam and Malaysia on August 23 evening.
As the ASEAN chair next year, Malaysia will lead the regional grouping to ease the US – China tensions, address lingering crisis in Myanmar, and handle issues arising with its neighbours, according to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The forum, which involves global experts and creative leaders from across 14 cultural sectors, aims to expand Thailand’s presence on the world stage through innovation and cultural exchange.
In his article, Oscar Sanchez Serra highlighted President Ho Chi Minh’s founding of the Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper on June 21, 1925, which marked the birth of Vietnam's revolutionary press rooted in a bold and far-sighted vision.
Several ASEAN meetings are scheduled to take place in Port Dickson this September, including the Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) for ASEAN Plus Three (APT), the East Asia Summit (EAS), the 15th ASEAN Maritime Forum, and the 13th Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum.
Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has ordered the urgent implementation of a national policy to crack down on all forms of call centre scams, online fraud, and illegal gambling, which are now considered threats to national security.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and EAEU Trade Minister Andrey Slepnev jointly declared the conclusion of FTA talks on the sidelines of the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025), according to the statement.
The article stressed that throughout his revolutionary career, the founder of modern Vietnam consistently regarded the revolutionary press as a vital part of the Vietnamese Party’s and nation’s revolutionary struggle.
Pichai said the trade talks with the US are important and need to move forward professionally, without regard for any political changes in Thailand, believing that Thailand has clear principles, guidelines and procedures in place.
The tax adjustment supports the Malaysian Government’s strategy to reduce reliance on foreign food supply chains and to assist domestic farmers, a finance official has said.
The proposed venue is located in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, featuring eight public sites, including Krungthep Aphiwat Central Terminal and several nearby parks.
Connectivity is expected to improve further with the completion of the fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge by the end of 2025, facilitating logistics and agricultural exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
