Integrity as the cornerstone of national prosperity

By Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah / The Edge Malaysia

10 Nov 2025, 11:45 am

The word integrity comes from the Latin integer, which means complete, whole and steadfast — a state of being supported by honesty, sincerity, transparency and moral strength. 

Integrity also signifies the quality of being whole and undivided, where actions remain consistent with one’s principles and ethical values, practised continuously in all aspects of personal and professional life. 

Integrity calls upon us to do the right thing in a reliable way.

Ibn Taymiyyah, in his work Al-Siyasah al-Shar‘iyyah fi Islah al-Ra‘iwa al-Ra‘iyyah wrote: “Justice and trustworthiness are the pillars that uphold governance and life; when these two are lost, all human affairs will collapse.”

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Malaysia ART the US: Beyond the Noise

Malaysia’s newly signed Agreement on Reciprocal Tariffs (ART) with the United States has stirred one of the most intense political debates of the year.

To its critics, it compromises Malaysia’s sovereignty and leaves the country vulnerable to Washington’s pressure. To its defenders, it’s a necessary move — a pragmatic safeguard to preserve export access and jobs in a volatile global trade climate.

As the noise swells, it’s worth untangling what the ART really is, what it is not, and how Malaysia should move forward.

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Malaysia compromise sovereignty, Cambodia did not?

Imagine two neighbours agreeing to exchange tools — I lend you my ladder, you lend me your drill. We both decide that this swap doesn’t mean I lose ownership of my ladder, or you lose your drill; it simply means we’ve made a friendly promise we can both keep when needed. 

In a similar way, the recently signed Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) between Malaysia and the United States is not a surrender of sovereignty and hardly a compromise of sovereignty [as explained by this Facebooker HERE]. 

In his regular contribution to The Star, Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Faiz Abdullah of ISIS Malaysia explained that this treaty-style arrangement is like a mutual handshake: each side voluntarily agrees to certain obligations so that both can gain and operate freely. The idea that Malaysia compromises its independence is therefore misplaced. 

Sovereignty isn’t hollow just because we commit to a bilateral understanding — such agreements are normal features of international diplomacy and trade. Mere mentioning of sovereignty in the RTA involving Cambodia, does not tantamount to anything substantive than a political statement. Devil lies in the detail.

A rebuttal of Rafizi by Syahir HERE and Sofrie Anuar in the commentary. Syam Ghaz explained HERE that it is not an apple to apple comparison. Cambodia merely export textiles, apparels and third party exporter of solar for China. While, Malaysia export higher value added goods such as IC, semi-conductors, E&E, etc. 

In the ART between the US and Malaysia, it is treated as a shared exchange rather than an imposition, the Star letter shows Malaysia remains in full control of its choices and direction. In short: signing a mutual deal doesn’t mean giving away the keys — it means choosing to cooperate. 

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Answering Latheefa: MACC need not clarify, Murray could with the judge

Back in October 2024, this blog was in pursuit of Murray Hunter, the Australian former UniMAP lecturer turned government critic operating from Thailand. Being critical of the government is hardly the issue. Its feedback on government policies. 

He collaborated with Asia Sentinel, a reformasi-era foreign based portal. It seemed to be a covert operation, but still fair game. Appreciated for tipping off the identity his informers. Obviously they were former Reformasi activists, who turned against current PKR-lead Unity Government. 

Murray was on the payroll of a former journalist that ruined the premiership of a pious man and led to the eventual downfall of the former BN government. Apparently the old man still have an old score against the current unity government. Anyway having such political intention is nothing unusual. 

However, it is something else to lie, slander and falsely accuse innocent individuals and important government agency. This blog may possibly be blocked but it does not stop it from defending MCMC from a Sokaiya-styled blackmail middle of the year. 

The unacceptable issue with Murray is he was in a plot with Bloomberg to cast aspersions against the King last year. This is beyond being malicious and no more about free speech.     

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45 years on: Carbon credit no more an academic concept

As Malaysia steps into a new era of economic and environmental transformation, the concept of a carbon economy is no longer a far-off idea — it’s becoming one of the most important conversations for every citizen and business. 

Few months ago, a former MNC oil and gas was sharing of his initiative into carbon trading venture with a state authority. It was inspiring to finally hear a concept first heard 45 years ago from friends taking up elective in environmental economics back in the US 45 years and years later from an engineering student is now operationalise.       

A recent article, “Decoding Key Pillars of the Carbon Economy” in The Star explored how carbon is shifting from being simply a waste product to becoming a tradable asset, a tax base and a new frontier for growth. 

It is especially timely in light of several major shifts here in Malaysia. Under the leadership of Najib Razak, Petronas began re-imagining its role – moving away from purely fossil-fuel extraction toward investments in renewables such as solar, hydrogen and other lower-carbon pathways. Its 2013 Annual Report was entitled re-imagining energy. 

At the same time, the administration of Anwar Ibrahim has launched a fresh economic push, signaling that Malaysia’s next chapter must be driven not just by extraction of raw materials but by clean tech, innovation, and sustainability. 

This matter to all because the carbon economy isn’t just for big companies or scientists: it has real implications for jobs, industries, and the way we all live. When carbon emissions are measured, valued, taxed or traded, that changes the rules of the game. 

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The strange world of digital money

For quite a while, this old timer been struggling the understand the strange new terms coming in business. 

Coming from a traditional banking and finance background, its mind boggling to appreciate the derivation of value from electronic mining for digital money and the mechanics of its infrastructure. 

Faced with the mental roadblock of understanding blockchain, yours truly procrastinated for years by hiding behind new interests such as geopolitics, logistics and macroeconomics.  

Recently a Tik Tok video of a beautiful young lady, which could either be AI or an actual person, explained the conspiracy behind Trump's issuance of Stable Coins to support the US dollar and transfer the American debt. Now stand at US$37 trillion and rising by a trillion every 100 days. 

That is something of interest to yours truly and revived interest to revisit the subject with more earnest effort to learn. 

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The need for economic literacy

On Budget Day last Friday, Member of Parliament for Bachok, Syahrir Sulaiman called the budget as limping or "tempang" in Malay. It can be misconstrued to also mean handicap, but its him expressing concern on the moderate growth that generate limited fiscal leeway for development. 

Yesterday, Opposition Leader, Hamzah Zainuddin created controversy with Perikatan Nasional counter offer for cash-aid of RM6,000 annually without restrictions and more free education programs. He raised other pertinent issues on the RM50.8 billion development expenditure by GLC and GLIC, lower Petronas dividend of RM20 billion, and somewhat in-sync with government concern on taxation, national revenue, etc. However, it is the cash-aid remark that attracted attention and suspected to be intended to viral. 

The math does not add up and criticised as populist rhetoric. Spending on STR and SARA for 2025 is RM15 billion and for 2026 budget is RM15 billion. Hamzah's plan means allocating  RM51.6 billion for the 8.6 million recipients!

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