The World Bank Group Global Knowledge & Research Hub in Malaysia launched the 21st edition of the Malaysia Economic Monitor – “Making Ends Meet” on Monday, December 9, 2019 at Ballroom A, Level 2, Aloft Hotel Kuala Lumpur Sentral.
Mara Warwick (Country Director for Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand, World Bank Group) gave the Welcoming Remarks.
Official Address was delivered by YB Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, Malaysia)
While the minister is aware of how prices like fish can go up from RM3 at source to RM10+ in just a 1km+ range of delivery, what next is that practicality in fixing the known challenges of how to bring food prices down in the real world, which matters most to the people’s day to day life.
Launch of the Dec 2019 MEM “Making Ends Meet”
There was this Presentation of the MEM “Making Ends Meet” session by Richard Record (Lead Economist, Macroeconomics, Trade and Investment, World Bank Group) & Kenneth Simler (Senior Economist, Poverty and Equity, World Bank Group) after the brief launching session.
Alleviating cost of living pressures demands a mix of short-term measures and medium- and long-term structural reforms.
Is it possible to beat the high cost of living?
Do you agree that there has never been problem with the resources, and the problems lie within distribution?
Panelists in the Discussion Session moderatored by Shakira Teh Sharifuddin (Economist, World Bank Group) were:
- YB Senator Tuan Liew Chin Tong, Deputy Minister of Defence, Malaysia
- Suraya Ismail, Director of Research, Khazanah Research Institute
- Nurhisham Hussein, Head of Economics Employees Provident Fund
- Hassan Zaman, Regional Director, Equitable Growth, Finance and
Institutions, World Bank Group
For those who were unable to join the event, World Bank Group is pleased to share with you a soft copy of the report, key findings, press release, the launch recording, video on “Making Ends Meet”, panel discussion and the podcast with BFM.
Malaysia Economic Monitor: Making Ends Meet
Increasing numbers of Malaysians, especially in urban areas, feel their income is insufficient to meet the cost of living. The 21st edition of the World Bank’s Malaysia Economic Monitor, Making Ends Meet provides an analytical perspective on the matter
Download the Report | Key Findings | Press Release
Malaysians Making Ends Meet
What’s it like to make ends meet in Malaysia? These are the voices of everyday Malaysians – from senior citizens to the youth – on navigating the cost of living.
Event Launch
The 21st edition of the World Bank’s Malaysia Economic Monitor was launched December 9 by the Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution.
Panel discussion on the report
The animated panel covered on the need to increase income by raising productivity and strengthening social safety nets. Issues were also raised on affordable housing, better planning coordination across agencies, among others.
