Posted in Economics on July 25th, 2012 1 Comment »
Several new points were raised with regards to my post on duties and cars yesterday. One was pollution, two was government revenue and three, in one way or another, income effect. It is not exactly income effect but close enough. Concern number one is easy. But let us state the pollution concern. The concern is [...]
Posted in Economics on July 24th, 2012 3 Comments »
I advocate the abolition, or at least a significant reduction of import duties (and other excessive taxes) on cars as well as the abolition of the approved permits system that blow up the prices of foreign-manufactured cars to an outrageous level. This should come at no surprise because I am a libertarian. I do generally support freer [...]
Posted in Economics on June 29th, 2012 2 Comments »
It appears that protectionist sentiment within the steel industry just will not just die down. Earlier last year, Megasteel unsuccessfully lobbied for a levy on steel imports. That was shot down because users of steel protested. Megasteel, being the sole domestic producer of flat steel (used mainly for vehicles and major appliances), in its eagerness [...]
Posted in Economics, Politics & government on June 26th, 2012 No Comments »
I understand the case for the breaking up of the Eurozone. I do appreciate the virtue behind a flexible exchange rate, especially for cases like Greece. There is a need for rebalancing that a monetary union cannot provide. Yet, I am uneasy at the suggestion of a break-up, of Grexit, because deep inside of me, [...]
Posted in Economics on March 25th, 2011 2 Comments »
The Food and Agriculture Organisation recently warned food prices are at record levels in both nominal and real terms since the entity first published its Food Price Index in 1990. The International Monetary Fund stated this is unlikely to be a temporary trend. Rice generally has not shown the kind of increase exhibited by other [...]
Posted in Economics on December 24th, 2009 No Comments »
On December 7 in the Parliament, based on the Hansard, Deputy Minister for International Trade and Industry Jacob Dungau Sagan was asked whether the government intends to abolish a policy that grants exclusive permits for imports to limited entities and effectively, the granting of monopoly power to several companies over certain commodities such as sugar [...]
Posted in Conflict & disaster, Economics, Science & technology on April 28th, 2009 No Comments »
Some people are panicking: KUALA LUMPUR, April 27 (Bernama) — In light of the swine-flu outbreak in Mexico, the Federation of Livestock Farmers’ Association of Malaysia (FLFAM) has strongly urged the government to stop pork imports until the situation is resolved. FLFAM market development manager and veterinarian Dr Kaw Eng Sun Monday advised the government [...]
Posted in Economics on January 16th, 2008 No Comments »
Steven Landsburg: All economists know that when American jobs are outsourced, Americans as a group are net winners. What we lose through lower wages is more than offset by what we gain through lower prices. In other words, the winners can more than afford to compensate the losers. Does that mean they ought to? Does [...]
Posted in ASEAN, Economics, Liberty on October 5th, 2007 1 Comment »
What is happening in Myanmar is nothing short of tragedy. Amid outrage, calls for actions against the junta of Myanmar could be loudly heard. Yet, what action is the most moral of all? The basis for action is simple: conscience calls it. Forceful suppression that leads to death invokes strong emotions. These emotions as well [...]
Posted in Economics, History & heritage on August 29th, 2007 No Comments »
Immanuel Kant wrote that free trade creates perpetual peace. Under the mercantilist era which he had lived in, the truth behind such idea cannot be any clearer. Mercantilism holds that trade is a zero-sum game with constant volume of global trade. As such, the most prosperous country is the country with the most supply of [...]
The name is Hafiz Noor Shams.
For more about me, please go here.