Privatising Malaysia Airlines: A Policy Transfer Approach. 2008. Penerbit UKM: Bangi. ISBN 978-942-842-1 (paper back cover). RM30.00. 234pp. Khairiah

Privatising Malaysia Airlines: A Policy Transfer Approach. 2008. Penerbit UKM: Bangi. ISBN 978-942-842-1 (paper back cover). RM30.00. 234pp. Khairiah Salwa Mokhtar.

In the wake of the global economic recession in the early 1980s, Malaysia, along with many other countries around the world, was compelled to adopt new economic measures. In the process of searching for solutions to its economic problems, the government attempted to draw some lessons from the British privatisation programme, which proved successful and have been widely respected and emulated. This book provides the first study of the emergence and development of privatisation policy in Malaysia. It is organised around a case study analysis of the privatisation of Malaysia Airlines (MAS), being the first privatisation experiment because it was a flagship Malaysian Industry with huge potential for international competitiveness. The policy transfer network approach is utilised as an analytical framework for understanding this particular form of policy development. It is combined with a political economy approach which roots the development of privatisation within a broader national economic plan geared towards increasing Malaysia’s international competitiveness within the global market place. The book draws three main conclusions. Firstly, it concludes that Malaysian privatisation policy can be characterised as a ‘hybrid’ form of policy transfer which drew lessons from both. Eastern and Western exemplars. Secondly, it contends that privatisation policy in Malaysia should be understood as a policy instrument within a broader state project in which state actors and institutions promote new forms of economic activity in an attempt to adapt state action to cope more effectively with what they perceive as global realities. Thirdly, it argues that privatisation policy is not necessarily a ‘cure-all’ for a state’s social and economic problems. Nor does it necessarily mean the end of state involvement in the formerly state owned industry. Indeed, the ultimate failure of MAS in being able to maintain its market position has led to the Malaysian state having to intervene in order to rescue the country’s flagship industry. In sum, the success of privatisation in particular, and the nature of state intervention in the economy in general, rest on the vagaries of market forces.

KHAIRIAH SALWA MOKHTAR, Ph.D is a lecturer in Public Administration and Political Science at Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang. Her area of specialization includes public policy, policy transfer, new public management, political marketing and distance education.

Published by:

Penerbit UKM

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia,

43600, Bangi, Selangor,

Malaysia.

Fax no: 03-89254575

Community in Asean: Ideas & Practises

Community in Asean: Ideas & Practises . 2008. Penerbit UKM: Bangi. ISBN 978-967-942-857-5 (paper back cover). RM30.00. 196 pages. Tham Siew Yean, Lee Poh Ping, Norani Othman.

The ASEAN Heads of State at the meeting in Bali, Indonesia, took the decisive step of forming an ASEAN Community from the present organization of ASEAN by the year 2020. This date was subsequently pushed forward to 2015. In commemoration of the fortieth anniversary of the founding of ASEAN in 1967, the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies (IKMAS) undertook a study of the ASEAN community. This book is the outcome of the study. Using a multidisciplinary approach, the book seeks to examine the following questions in each of the chapters: (i) How do we distinguish between a formal community with the big ‘C’ and an informal community with a small ‘c’? ; (ii) What are the forces that are driving both the formal community and the informal community? In particular what are the signs that an ASEAN community is both developing and strengthening? ; and (iii) Is there a need for an ASEAN Community? Should we not look to ways of strengthening the ASEAN Community instead? This book is recommended for students, researchers and the general public who are intereted in ASEAN and Malaysia’s role in enhancing the ASEAN Community.

THAM SIEW YEAN, ph.D, Professor and Director at the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies (IKMAS), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. Her other work with the penerbit UKM is The Emerging East Asian Community: Security & Economic Issues (co-edited with Lee Poh Ping and George T.Yu). LEE POH PING, Ph.D, Professor and Principal Fellow at the same institute. NORANI OTHMAN, Professor and Principal Fellow at the same institute. Her ther wrk with penerbit UKM in Elections and Democracy in Malaysia (co-edited with Mavis Puthcheary).

Published by:

Penerbit UKM

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia,

43600, Bangi, Selangor,

Malaysia.

Fax no: 03-89254575

Anatomical Atlas of Malaysian Medicinal Plants: Volume 4

Anatomical Atlas of Malaysian Medicinal Plants: Volume 4 . 2008. Penerbit UKM: Bangi. ISBN 978-983-942-863-6 (paper back cover). RM35.00. 160 pages. Khatijah Hussin, Mohamad Ruzi Abdul Rahman, Nurulnahar Esa.

In the last few decades, herbal medicine is gaining worldwide acceptance as complementary or alternative medicine. With the increase in the popularity of plants as an alternative medicine, more herbal drugs are now available in various forms in the market. Due to the increase in demand, the price of raw materials has also inevitably increased. There has been a rapid development in the herbal industries utilizing locally available plants, either wild or introduced. Therefore, an accurate identification is crucial before chemists and pharmacognosists can search for new chemical substances from these plants and repeat their experiments. According to the latest report, there are about 1,200 species of plants in this country that have potential pharmaceutical value. The study of plant anatomy is central in identification or confirmation of species, especially in the absence of floral or fruiting materials. Studies have shown that many anatomical characteristic of the leaves and petioles vary between species. These include the structure of the leaf midribs, laminas, margins, venation, patterns and epidermis. A detailed anatomical description of the plant organ would be very useful to help identify the cells and tissue fragments for the confirmation of species in herbal product. Altogether, Anatomical Atlas of Malaysian Medicinal Plants is published in a series of several volumes. Each volume describes and illustrates anatomical structure of 30 species of the medicinal plants in traditional medicine of Malaysia.

KHATIJAH HUSSIN, Ph. D., is an Associate Professor at the School of Environmental and Natural Resources, Faculty of Science and Technology. MOHAMAD RUZI ABDUL RAHMAN is a Research Assistant at the same faculty. NURULNAHAR ESA is a research officer at Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute.

Published by:

Penerbit UKM

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia,

43600, Bangi, Selangor,

Malaysia.

Fax no: 03-89254575