Commissioned by the East Asian Bureau of Economic Research (EABER) of the Australian National University (ANU), the project aims to seek ways to improve policy responses and regional co-operation mechanisms for promoting trade, investment and development in East Asian and Pacific economies. The project also studies the institutional circumstances affecting economic policy efficiency in key APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation) Asian economies and compares them with institutions and practices within the regions and elsewhere, examine the scope for international support in strengthening institutional capacities and seeks to formulate recommendations on institutional designs aimed at improving policy outcomes targeted to individual economies in East Asia as well as other economies in APEC.
Phase I of the project covers July-August 2006 and involves the preparation of a tasking and issues paper. Phase II would see the completion of national levels studies as well as a preliminary review of the ways in which regional organisations, including APEC, might be used to assist national level institutional reform initiatives (September to November 2006). Phase III (2007) involves economic integration workshops in regional capitals in conjunction with national policy institutes and with the participation of team leaders, to promote the findings and policy recommendations of the project.
MIER participated in inception workshops in Australia in July 2006. An outline of the proposed paper outlining Malaysia's experience was submitted on 22 August 2006. This was followed by the submission of a preliminary draft on 28 August. The first presentation was made in November 2006 in Manila. A dissemination seminar for Malaysian policy makers was held in Kuala Lumpur on 14 December 2006. A subsequent meeting was held at the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP), Seoul, Korea on 25-26 May 2007 to discuss how APEC could facilitate institutional reform.
The Global Subsidies Initiative of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), Geneva, Switzerland, has commissioned the Institute to produce a report describing and quantifying, if readily obtainable, local financial support to the production and consumption of bio-ethanol and bio-diesel (biofuel) in Malaysia during 2007, and to document the environmental consequences (especially relating to land-use) of biofuel production in Malaysia.
The specific tasks of the study are to: (a) provide a brief overview of the evolution of the main feedstock industries, structure, and government policies affecting them; (b) analyse the assistance provided to ethanol and bio-diesel by various interventions; (c) describe Malaysia's environmental policies relevant to biofuel production and use, and discuss the effectiveness of regulations relating to deforestation and land-use patterns, and to the extent information is readily available, air and water pollution; and (d) draw policy-relevant conclusions and recommendations. A detailed outline of the report for review by IISD was submitted end-October 2007 for review by IISD, followed by a draft report at end-December 2007.
This six-month study, commissioned by the ASEAN Secretariat, Jakarta, is jointly undertaken with the Pakistan Institute of Development Economies (PIDE), Islamabad. The objective of the study is to quantitatively evaluate the production, trade in goods, trade in services and welfare effects as well as to provide a qualitative and sectoral assessment of the effects of a potential ASEAN-Pakistan FTA between Pakistan and the ASEAN member countries.
Specifically, the study seeks to assess the following: (a) the economic impact of such an FTA in terms of the repercussions on trade and production, and variables that would be affected as a consequence of trade creation or otherwise; (b) the institutional factors that require consideration as a consequence of such an FTA; and (c) recommendations on specific issues. The study officially took off on 1 September 2007 and is scheduled to be completed end-February 2008.
The Institute with input from PIDE has submitted the inception report as required by the ASEAN Secretariat on 7 December 2007. The Institute is awaiting comments and feedback from the Secretariat.
Commissioned by the East Asian Bureau of Economic Research (EABER) of ANU, the objective of the project is to examine experience with higher education and development and assess strategies for financing the higher education sector in East Asia. A significant role of the project is to evaluate alternative higher education financing strategies through appeal to experience and analysis of the issues internationally. The roles of government grants and different types of student loan arrangements are integral aspects of the project's contribution. This project of ANU is undertaken through EABER in collaboration with Dhuakij Pundit University, Thailand. The Institute's contribution in the project is to prepare a detailed paper on 'Higher Education Policies and Development: Approaches to Funding Higher Education in Malaysia'. The first draft of the paper was submitted on 15 December 2007. The Institute is currently awaiting comments and feedback from EABER. The final draft should be completed by 8 May 2008 for presentation to a major international conference in Bangkok on 8-9 July 2008.
Commissioned by the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), work on this project began in April 2007. In recent years, free trade agreements (FTAs) have proliferated in East Asia, where development gaps between the countries still remain. Economic integration in East Asia remains "shallow". Indeed, ASEAN is taking initiatives to realise the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), and making the AEC blueprint. These are efforts to realise "deep" integration. However, since economies of scale work more strongly in an integrated market, a large economy is expected to benefit most from home market effects. Therefore, whether benefits from the integration spread widely throughout the region is a growing concern in East Asia. This project aims to develop a comprehensive roadmap toward the ASEAN Economic Community and beyond that leads East Asia to a right track.
The project intends to provide a strategic framework to deepen economic integration, as well as concurrently narrowing development gaps, and to suggest coherent economic policies for sustainable economic growth. The project identifies real research needs for deepening integration, narrowing gap, and sustainable economic growth.
An interim report was submitted to ERIA in May that outlined a framework for regional integration. The Institute participated in a small working team to elaborate on the strategic framework of the roadmap on 29-30 July 2007 in Bangkok. A final report is due for submission on 15 January 2008 on the basis of comments received from the project co-ordinator.
Commissioned by the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), the first expert meeting was held on 15 July to discuss methodologies. Subsequently, a draft proposal has been submitted to the Institute of Developing Economies (IDE), Japan for consideration. The study is to be completed in six months upon the signing of the contract agreement.
Research now being conducted by the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, UNCTAD and other international agencies is stressing that cross-country differences in living standards and growth rates are significantly related to country differences in institutional capacity, the protection of property rights, and fair and efficient markets. Competition policy contributes to all three of these forces in favour of economic development. Countries with competition laws now account for over 85% of world trade. Would having a competition policy for ASEAN, therefore, help to improve trade and enhance competitiveness of member countries?
The study examines the three categories that may be most relevant to this study of a competition policy in ASEAN - competition and efficiency, competition and growth, and the benefits of applying competition law and policy. The study also aims to draw on the experiences of those ASEAN countries with competition policy and law, and restrictive business practices. As a review of foreign experience and particularly newly industrialised countries is particularly telling, the study will also include an overview of the policy trends and development in Canada, Australia, Taiwan and South Korea, as well as the transition economies in central and eastern Europe analysed as a group. Existing empirical evidence from countries like Taiwan and Korea point to the existence of significant benefits in promoting effective competition policies.
A mid-term review workshop was held in Bangkok on 24-25 November 2007 to discuss the progress of the study. The draft final report was submitted to the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) on 20 December 2007. Another workshop to discuss the progress of the study is scheduled to be held in Bangkok on 19-20 January 2008, with the final report scheduled for submission on 8 February 2007.
Commissioned by the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), the objective of the project is to develop policy recommendations on regional co-operation for infrastructure development to senior economic officials of ASEAN+6 countries. The ASEAN Secretariat has identified infrastructure development as one of the Priority Integration Sectors (PIS) of ASEAN economic community - an important area of economic integration and regional cooperation.
The project requires a survey of the current status and ongoing infrastructure development projects in each country (including Malaysia) and analyse them in order to address the country specific issues and perspectives on infrastructure development. This includes an infrastructure index for East Asian countries (Malaysia), following the methodology developed by Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), India, to examine Malaysia's performance with respect to infrastructure quality in regional and global context, with an international benchmark. This also entails the collection of basic economic data and population data on sub-regional level, in order to analyse long-term impacts of the logistic infrastructure development on linked regions by simulation, supported by the theory of spatial economics.
The draft report was submitted to ERIA end-December 2007. A meeting is to be held on 20-21 January 2008 in ERIA, Bangkok to discuss the report. The final report will be completed by 28 February 2008.
The Economic Planning Unit (EPU), Prime Minister's Department has indicated an interest in running a short programme for staff of all the state Economic Planning Units in the country on the fundamental aspects of economics. This capacity-building project will be funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Kuala Lumpur. An understanding of economic concepts and their applications in today's rapidly globalising economic environment is important, especially to public officials working as advisers, planners and executors of government policies, strategies, and programmes.
This capacity building training proposal is designed in the context of providing a better understanding of economic concepts and terminology, and more importantly, their applications. It is targeted at state planning officials. There are many reasons why it might be useful for state planning officials to be exposed to economics. For example, their work will invariably involve issues that have an economic dimension. They may be required to co-ordinate or execute projects that have significant economic implications. While their primary tasks may be administrative in nature, an understanding of economics will help them better understand the issues at stake. This understanding will contribute to a better process of participation in the projects, as well as provide for better-informed decisions.
This capacity building programme is essentially a participant-centred learning experience. It is proposed that this course will be conducted over three working days, with two sessions per day. Towards this end, a manual will be prepared for use in conducting the course. Both the technical and financial proposals have been submitted to UNDP for consideration and approval.
The Sarawak State Secretary's Office has indicated an interest in running a short programme for its public sector. The purpose of this programme is to familiarise its civil servants with the common terms and issues that are generally used in economics. It is expected that this programme will be conducted as a five-day course. The course will introduce the participants to the basic concepts in microeconomics and macroeconomics in a non-technical fashion. Towards this end, a manual has been prepared for use in conducting the course. The manual has been calibrated to introduce the participants to commonly used terms and concepts in economics, including real case examples. The Institute had submitted both the technical and financial proposal to the Sarawak State Secretary's office for consideration. The client has approved the project in principle, and the Institute is currently awaiting the greenlight to jumpstart the project.
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