An Overview of Activities

It is my pleasure to present to the Annual General Meeting, the Persatuan Ekonomi Malaysia (PEM) Annual Report for the year ended 31 December, 2012.

PEM had organised again the core activities for the year 2012. On Thursday, 22 March, 2012, PEM organised the Bank Negara Malaysia Governor’s Address at Sime Darby Convention Centre, Jalan Bukit Kiara 1, Kuala Lumpur. The Keynote Address was delivered by Dr Sukhdave Singh, the Assistant Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia. The Panel discussion have chaired by This year the response to the event was overwhelming, and was attended by more than 200 leading bankers and corporate leaders of the industry, and friends of PEM. PEM would also like to record a word of thanks to Bank Negara Malaysia who has kindly given complimentary copies of the 2011 BNM Annual Reports to PEM.

The second core event was the Public Lecture on “Economic growth & Environmental Sustainability” at Lecture Theatre 3 (DK3), Faculty of Economics and Administration (FEP), University of Malaya, on Friday, 27th April, 2012. This even was successfully conducted by PEM and Faculty of Economics and Administration (FEA). The speaker for this Public Lecture is Prof. Dr. Euston Quah, Head, Division of Economics and Former Chair, School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. This event has focused on some key challenges for Asian Governments.

The third core event was the Seminar on “Palm Oil Industry Transformation Perspective” at Lecture Theatre 3 (DK3), Faculty of Economics and Administration (FEP), University of Malaya, on Friday, 13th July, 2012. This even was successfully conducted by PEM and Faculty of Economics and Administration (FEA) with the collaboration of Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC). The Speaker was Ybhg Tan Sri Datuk Dr Yusof Basiron, CEO, MPOC. This seminar has focused on growth of the Malaysian Palm Oil industry as well as covered the socio-economic dimension of poverty eradication, food security and the conflicting demands for sustainable development. The fourth core event was the Public Lecture on “Recent Japanese Investment Trend in Malaysia” at Lecture Theatre 3 (DK3), Faculty of Economics and Administration (FEP), University of Malaya, on Thursday, 19th July, 2012. This even was successfully conducted by PEM and Faculty of Economics and Administration (FEA) with the collaboration of Japanese Embassy. The Speaker for this Public Lecture is Madam Misako Takahashi, Counselor and Chief of Economic Section, Embassy of Japan. The lecture has addressed how Malaysia and Japan may create a further win-win relationship in light of Malaysia’s vision 2020 and given the intensifying competition from other ASEAN members to attract Japanese foreign direct investment.

The fifth core event was the 2013 Post-Budget Dialogue held at Auditorium Dewan Perdana, Bukit Kiara Equestrian Resort, Jalan Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur, on Monday, 1st October 2012. As in previous years, the Post-Budget Panel picked up issues, strategy and approach tabled by the Minister of Finance (MOF). This year, the Keynote Address was delivered by YBhg. Tan Sri Dr Wan Abdul Aziz bin Wan Abdullah, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Finance. Six panelists, chaired by Prof Dr Tan Eu Chye, Professor at Faculty of Economics & Administration, University of Malaya, joined the discussion. Those six panelists for this event are YBhg Datuk Paul Low, Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM), Mr. Stewart Forbes, Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and Dr. Veerinderjeet Singh, TAXAND Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. Three panelists from Ministry of Finance are YBhg Dato’ Siti Halimah Ismail, Undersecretary Tax Division, MOF, and Dr.Sundram Annamalai, Undersecretary of Economic and International Division, MOF.

Persatuan Ekonomi Malaysia (PEM) hosted the Global Public Lecture by Madam Christine Lagarde, Managing Director if International Monetary Fund (IMF) with collaboration with Bank Negara Malaysia on Wednesday, 14th November 2012 at Sasana Kijang, Bank Negara Malaysia. Topic of the Global Public Lecture was “Asia and the Promise of Economic Cooperation”. The welcoming speech given by the President of Malaysian Economic Asociation (MEA) while the welcoming remarks and introduction to speaker given by Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Dr. Zeti Akhtar Aziz, Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia. The moderator for Q&A session was Dato’ Sri Mohd Nazir bin Tun Abdul Razak, Group Chief Executive, CIMB Group.

The Persatuan also sent four (4) delegates, (two_(2) delegates sponsored by the Philippine Economic Society) to attend the 37th Annual Conference of the Federation of the ASEAN Economic ASEAN Economic Association (FAEA), held at Philippines International Convention Center CCP Complex, Roxas Blvd, Manila Philippines on 28-29 November 2012. The theme for the 37th FAEA Conference was “Towards Inclusive ASEAN Economic growth”. The Malaysian Paper were presented by Professor Dr. Saadiah Mohamad on “Exchange Market Pressure and Degree of Intervention in Malaysia” and Associate Professor Dr. Evelyn S. Devadason on “International Capital Flows and Labor Migration: The Malaysian Perspective”.

The final core event was the Public Lecture “IMF 101 and The Latest Outlook For Asia” by Alex Mourmouras & Rodrigo Cubero at Lecture Theatre 3 (DK3), Faculty of Economics and Administration University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, 11th December 2012. The event was chaired by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kwek Kian Teng, Lecturer at Faculty Economic & Administration, University of Malaya. This Public Lecture focused on global economic development and outlook as well as developments and prospects for the Asia and Pacific region.

The Exco wishes to thank PEM members and friends for their continuing support and assistance.

A list of activities organised by the Persatuan is as listed in Annex I.

An activity of Yayasan MEA is given in Annex II.

A membership particular of the Persatuan is in Annex III.

Acknowledgements

The Persatuan wishes to express its gratitude and appreciation to the following:

• The Dean, Faculty of Economics and Administration, University of Malaya, for co-organising some activities of the Persatuan.
• The staff of the Faculty of Economics and Administration, University of Malaya, for their cooperation and support.
• All representatives of the press and media for providing publicity on the activities of the Persatuan.
• MJES Editorial Board and sub-committee members and all members and friends of the Persatuan for their continuing encouragement and support of the Persatuan’s activities.
• Bank Negara Malaysia
• ABM, The Association of Banks in Malaysia
• Japanese Embassy
• Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC)
• International Monetary Fund (IMF)
• Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
• Philippine Economic Society (PES)