[Asia Round-up] What Malaysians’ votes represent

Editor’s note: Followings are summaries of editorials from major Asian media on current issues.

What Malaysians’ votes represent
[Singapore, The Strait Times 07-05-2013]

The intense run-up to Malaysia’s general elections of the ruling party Barisan Nasional and opposition party Pakatan Rakyat and the results too close to call signify changes in Malaysian politics. Barisan, which has retained its power for 56 years, is not the party is used to be when holding over 80 percent of the coalition seats.

Barisan’s opposition party swept up its coalition seats in urban areas, which Najib coined, a “Chinese tsunami.” Observing this racial streak in voting patterns as well as rural-urban distinction and class division in his clinching victory, Prime Minister Najib spoke of the need for national reconciliation and to work towards “a more moderate and accommodating environment.”

Barisan’s campaign was focused on stability through economic and social transformation whereas Anwar’s Pakatan coalition on change, by promising equity, transparent governance and a better management of state finances. Malaysians are aware that change needs to reach all throughout society and overcome social divisions. Fairer distribution of opportunities in education, business and government jobs is also necessary.

Even though some considered the election to be a vote between stability and change, the record number of Malaysians at the polls shows that perhaps they want both.

Challenge before Bangladeshi garments sector
[Bangladesh, The Daily Star, 07-05-2013]

According to the New York Times, Disney has stated that it would stop further merchandise production in Bangladesh. The devastation of Rana Plaza will affect many other such plazas in Bangladesh and their many workers.

A US report estimates that it will cost about 3 billion US dollars to bring Bangladesh’s 4,500 factories to building and fire standards, which is not an overly burdensome investment considering Bangladesh’s annual profit of 18 billion US dollars from clothing exports. The European Union and Obama administration should be encouraged to step up and enforce proper labor laws and compliance measures and the Bangladesh government should be willing to cooperate in such international efforts.

The Bangladesh garment industry has given livelihood to 3.5 million Bangladeshis out of which 80% are women. These people should not have to risk their lives in their efforts to support their families.

Beyond the limits of decency or just bad taste?
[Thailand, The Nation, 07-05-2013]

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has filed a defamation lawsuit against Thai Rath cartoonist Chai Rachawat for comparing her to a prostitute. The Information Technology and Communication Ministry has threatened to exercise its authority to ban all allegedly libellous comment on his facebook page.

Chai, whose real name is Somchai Katanyutanan, posted on his Facebook page photographs of Yingluck delivering a speech in Mongolia with the caption: “Please understand that prostitutes are not bad women. Prostitutes only sell their body, but a bad woman has been wandering around trying to sell the country.”

No one in their right mind believes that the country’s prime minister and one of its richest women is a prostitute. Furthermore, no one with a sense of decency would want the person mandated to govern the country to be compared to a prostitute. Political cartoonists attack public figures all the time. Including this case, some of these attacks are in bad taste.

But is bad taste a crime? Taking legal action against such criticism might not achieve anything in this country. The premier and her supporters should use this case to educate critics, to encourage people to criticise in a coherent and constructive way. Everyone should learn how to criticise within certain boundaries and the targets of criticism accept such comment up to a certain limit.

We live in a country that values freedom of speech – at least that’s what we tell ourselves. This kind of political comment is an example how we exercise this freedom. Satirical commentary serves the public good in the sense that it allows people to look at public figure differently.

Not everyone likes cartoonist Chai’s choice of words in making reference to the prime minister, but what we all cherish is the fact that we live in a country where we can decide for ourselves what constitutes good or bad taste.

Potential for luxury cars
[China, China Daily, 2013-05-07]

The growth of China’s premium car sales slumped to 4% year-on-year in the first three months, compared with 17% for the light vehicle segment. The fall is especially eye-catching compared with growth rates in previous years; 80% in 2010, 40% in 2011, 20% in 2012.

It is attributed to the central government’s spending cut which includes spending on official vehicles. But as the affluent middle class is expanding rapidly, private consumption could pick up to fill the gap. According to estimates by Goldman Sachs, China’s potential market for middle class buyers exploded to 37 million people last year from 1 million in 1995, and it could rise to 256 million in 2025.

Last year, there were 1.25 million premium vehicles sold in China, making it the second-largest market for that car segment after the United States, and sales could rise to 3 million by 2020, making it the largest market, according to management consulting company Mckinsey. As China pushes its consumption-oriented policies, private consumption is set to become more brisk.

Even if the high-rate sales of luxury cars in China may not be continued, but given the huge market in China, stable one-digit growth should not be sneezed at. The sales of luxury cars in China may not continue at a rate as high as in previous years, but there is only a slim possibility that sales growth will grind to a halt.