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Friday, December 1, 2023

Malaysia to pilot Singapore-styled progressive wage programme next June, says economic minister

FILE PHOTO: A general view of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia October 12, 2023. REUTERS/Hasnoor Hussain/File Photo

Progressive wage to cover those with RM1,500-RM4,999 monthly salary,

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will pilot its “progressive wage” programme next June that aims to raise wages of low-income workers as they become more skilled, with government subsidies helping to pay some of the salary increment.

Speaking in Parliament on Thursday (Nov 30) as he tabled a much-anticipated White Paper on the Progressive Wage Policy, Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli said the voluntary programme will target 1,000 companies for the pilot, with a focus on micro small and medium enterprises.

Only Malaysian employees who earn less than RM5,000 (US$1,076) monthly will be eligible for the programme, with workers from multinational and government-linked companies exempted from participating in the project, he added.

“The progressive wage policy model that will be introduced involves a progressive increase in wages, in line with the increase in employee productivity,” said Mr Rafizi.

“This policy will not only improve the skills of employees, but employers will also benefit through increased productivity, employee loyalty and competitiveness.”

Mr Rafizi noted that Malaysian employees faced issues of low wages, with 73.3 percent of a formal workforce of 6.54 million people earning less than RM5,000 a month.

He also said that according to official data, wages grew at an average of 4.1 per cent from 2011 to 2022.

“Low wages have had a serious impact on the lives of workers in this country, with a large portion of wages being used to cover basic expenses and not having the opportunity to make any savings,” he said.

Mr Rafizi said that companies participating in the programme would receive financial incentives from the government.

According to Mr Rafizi, participating companies will be eligible to receive cash incentives of up to RM200 monthly for 12 months for fresh graduates and entry level posts, while for non-entry-level posts, the incentive rate is proposed to be up to RM300 monthly for 12 months.

The granting of these incentives will be reviewed every year based on the government's fiscal position, he added.

The incentives will be paid after employers submit documents for their staff’s skills upgrading courses in training programmes identified and certified by the government.

Malaysian economics minister Rafizi Ramli speaking in parliament (Photo: Bernama) Malaysia’s progressive wage model takes inspiration from Singapore’s Progressive Wage Model implemented and identified in specified sectors, where a multi-year salary increment schedule is set out for workers in tandem with skills acquisition on their part.

However, the government’s moves on this front in recent months has sparked public discussions over whether a progressive wage model is feasible in Malaysia, and what it could mean for the country’s minimum wage policy that covers all sectors.

Malaysia currently has a minimum monthly wage of RM1,500 per month, which was implemented in May of last year. Under the National Wages Consultative Council Act 2011, the minimum wage must be reviewed every two years.

In parliament, Mr Rafizi said that the government decided on a pilot programme first to fine-tune it, before expanding it to all employers in the future.

“An impact assessment will be made on the effectiveness of the pilot project and its viability before it is fully implemented,” he said.

The incentives will be given to companies that meet the conditions and criteria for a period of one year to enable the company to adjust its business plan.

He said that a survey of 2,038 workers found that 60 per cent of them supported the implementation of the policy.

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Monday, November 27, 2023

Rift over future of AI development

Sam Altman was fired on Nov 17 from the company that created the popular ChatGPT chatbot. To many, he was considered the human face of generative AI. — Reuters

OpenAI CEO calls for global cooperation on AI regulation, says ‘China has some of the best AI talent in the world’

THE rift that cost artificial-intelligence whiz kid Sam Altman his CEO job at OpenAI reflects a fundamental difference of opinion over safety, broadly, between two camps developing the world-altering software and pondering its societal impact.

On one side are those, like Altman, who view the rapid development and, especially, public deployment of AI as essential to stress-testing and perfecting the technology. On the other side are those who say the safest path forward is to fully develop and test AI in a laboratory first to ensure it is, so to speak, safe for human consumption.

Altman, 38, was fired on Nov 17 from the company that created the popular ChatGPT chatbot. To many, he was considered the human face of generative AI.

Some caution the hyper-intelligent software could become uncontrollable, leading to catastrophe – a concern among tech workers who follow a social movement called “effective altruism,” who believe AI advances should benefit humanity.

Among those sharing such fears is OpenAI’s Ilya Sutskever, the chief scientist and a board member who approved Altman’s ouster.

A similar division has emerged between developers of self-driving cars – also controlled by AI – who say they must be unleashed among dense urban streets to fully understand the vehicles’ faculties and foibles; whereas others urge restraint, concerned that the technology presents unknowable risks.

Altman attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit in San Francisco, California. — Reuters

Those worries over generative AI came to a head with the surprise ousting of Altman, who was also OpenAI’s cofounder.

Generative AI is the term for the software that can spit out coherent content, like essays, computer code and photo-like images, in response to simple prompts.

The popularity of OpenAI’s ChatGPT over the past year has accelerated debate about how best to regulate and develop the software.

“The question is whether this is just another product, like social media or cryptocurrency, or whether this is a technology that has the capability to outperform humans and become uncontrollable,” said Connor Leahy, CEO of ConjectureAI and a safety advocate. “Does the future then belong to the machines?”

Sutskever reportedly felt Altman was pushing OpenAI’s software too quickly into users’ hands, potentially compromising safety.

“We don’t have a solution for steering or controlling a potentially superintelligent AI, and preventing it from going rogue,” he and a deputy wrote in a July blog post. “Humans won’t be able to reliably supervise AI systems much smarter than us.”

Of particular concern, reportedly, was that OpenAI announced a slate of new commercially available products at its developer event earlier this month, including a version of its ChatGPT-4 software and so-called agents that work like virtual assistants.

Sutskever did not respond to a request for comment.

The fate of OpenAI is viewed by many technologists as critical to the development of AI. Discussions on Altman to be reinstalled have fizzled, dashing hopes among the former CEO’s acolytes.

ChatGPT’s release last November prompted a frenzy of investment in AI firms, including US$10bil from Microsoft into OpenAI and billions more for other startups, including from Alphabet and Amazon.com.

That can help explain the explosion of new AI products as firms like Anthropic and ScaleAI race to show investors progress. Regulators, meanwhile, are trying to keep pace with AI’s development, including guidelines from the Biden administration and a push for “mandatory self-regulation” from some countries as the European Union works to enact broad oversight of the software.

While most use generative AI software, such as ChatGPT, to supplement their work, like writing quick summaries of lengthy documents, observers are wary of versions that may emerge known as “artificial general intelligence”, or AGI, which could perform increasingly complicated tasks without any prompting. This has sparked concerns that the software could, on its own, take over defence systems, create political propaganda or produce weapons.

OpenAI was founded as a non-profit eight years ago, in part to ensure its products were not driven by profit-making that could lead it down a slippery slope toward a dangerous AGI, what is referred to in the company’s charter as any threatening to “harm to humanity or unduly concentrate power”. But since then, Altman helped create a for-profit entity within the company for the purpose of raising funds and other aims. — Reuters

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How will US weaponize AI for its technological hegemony?

‘Time for all to be trained to use AI’

US foreign policy root cause of Gaza crisis

JIN DING/CHINA DAILY

Is hostage deal a turning point for Gaza situation?

The bloody Israel-Palestine conflict that broke out more than a month ago has not yet subsided, has caused heavy loss of lives and the number of casualties on both sides continues to rise, which is heartbreaking. It goes without saying that the historical roots of the conflict are deep and the situation is far more complex than it seems, and the US' Middle East policy is largely to blame for the conflict.

It all started with former US president Donald Trump announcing in 2018 the plan to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, which effectively means the US recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a goal the latter has long sought.

The US' handling of this conflict has also added fuel to the fire on the ground. Although the US ultimately called Israel for a "humanitarian cease-fire" following pressure from the Arab world and the international community, it has already lost support internationally. The various diplomatic measures the US undertakes violate the morality of a major power and are closely related to its political system.

On the surface, this conflict was triggered by an attack on Israel by the Palestinian armed group Hamas, but the underlying reason is the accumulation of hatred and anger between the two sides as the Palestinian issue has not been resolved.

According to Resolution 181 (United Nations Plan for the Partition of the Mandate of Palestine) adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on Nov 29, 1947, the establishment of two temporary states was proposed, one being the Jewish state of Israel and the other the state of Palestine.

However, this resolution has never been implemented. Israel has not only occupied Palestinian land, but has also continued to expand and strengthen Israeli settlements on Palestinian land. It has implemented long-term blockades and violent suppression of Palestinians, causing Israel-Palestine conflicts to break out from time to time, and the grievances between the two sides to deepen.

Not only has the US failed to deal with the Palestinian issue seriously and fairly, it has instead favored and sheltered Israel. After Hamas launched the attack on Oct 7, the US Embassy in Jerusalem took the lead in tweeting condemnation of Hamas' attack, saying that the US was in touch with Israeli officials and fully supported Israel's "right to self-defense".

When US President Joe Biden met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Oct 18, he actually expressed support for Israel's counterattack instead of trying to ease the situation. That emboldened Israel to launch ruthless military strikes against Palestine. Israel's large-scale air strikes, including those targeting refugee camps and hospitals in Gaza, have caused heavy casualties to the people of Gaza.

Some 30 years ago, the US had briefly acted as a "peace messenger" trying to resolve the Israel-Palestine issue. In 1993, the leaders of Israel and Palestine signed the Oslo Accords under the guidance of then US president Bill Clinton. Israel and Palestine recognized each other's legitimacy and agreed to end the violent conflict through a peace agreement. Israel withdrew from Gaza and parts of the West Bank. Both sides established a road map for peace in the Middle East. Unfortunately, the agreement was blocked by radical forces on both sides, and then Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated.

After the George W. Bush administration came to power, the US launched a war on terrorism because of the Sept 11 terrorist attacks. It completely abandoned Clinton's Middle East peace process, turned to unilateralism, and promoted neo-conservatism with the goal of overthrowing "hostile governments" such as in Iraq.

When Barack Obama became president, the US adopted a moderate policy toward the Middle East. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, signed by Obama eased relations with Iran. On the Israel-Palestine issue, the Obama administration criticized Israel's actions in the West Bank and expressed dissatisfaction with the construction of Jewish settlements.

Unfortunately, after Trump was elected president, the US returned to the unilateralism of the Bush era. Adhering to the Cold War mentality, in order to maintain its hegemony, it continued to form cliques and provoked conflicts, triggering serious political and economic problems around the world. The conflict between the two sides has made the situation in the Middle East unstable and the Israel-Palestine conflict continues to this day. It can be seen that the evolution of Israel-Palestine relations from peace talks, conflicts to wars is closely linked to the attitude of the US.- China Daily/Asia News Network.

Edward Wong is a researcher of Hong Kong Sustainable Development Research Institute. Ivan Chu is a member of the Chinese Association of the Hong Kong and Macao Studies.

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Truce in Gaza 'a key window for humanitarian assistance'

Israel and Palestinian armed group Hamas have very limited mutual trust to execute the temporary cease-fire and a hostage release deal, so they need more time to solve technical problems, said experts on Thursday, as the Israeli side claimed that the truce will be delayed and no hostages will be released before Friday.

The West never had a chance at winning over the world

How the Israel-Palestinian Conflict Mirrors Malaysia's Apartheid Issue

Tuesday, November 21, 2023

Hegemonic mentality behind US media hype of ‘China threat’ theory: experts

A submarine attached to a naval submarine flotilla under the PLA Northern Theater Command steams in the sea during a training exercise recently in waters of the Yellow Sea. Photo: China Military

China Is Now Launching Their ‘Submarine Killer’ To Counter US Nuclear Submarine

China Is Preparing For The Worlds Next Big Conflict

US media on Monday claimed that the era of total US submarine dominance over China is ending, a move Chinese experts said on Tuesday is yet another hype of the "China threat" theory motivated by the US hegemonic mentality.

China is narrowing one of the largest gaps dividing the US and Chinese militaries as it makes advances in its submarine technology and undersea detection capabilities, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Monday.

The WSJ report claimed that China launched early this year a nuclear-powered attack submarine with a pump-jet propulsion system instead of a propeller, marking the first time this noise-reducing technology used on the latest US submarines had been seen on a Chinese submarine.

Citing satellite images, the WSJ said China's manufacturing base for nuclear-powered submarines laid out hull sections larger than the hull of any existing Chinese submarine a few months earlier, and that the plant was expanded with a second modern construction hall in 2021, indicating plans to boost output.

China has also built or nearly finished several underwater sensor networks in the South China Sea and other regions around the Chinese coast, similar to the Sound Surveillance System (SOSUS) developed by the US during the Cold War to detect Soviet subs, giving it a much better ability to detect enemy submarines, the WSJ said.

The WSJ highlighted the Chinese People's Liberation Army's (PLA) efforts in finding enemy submarines by adding patrol aircraft and helicopters as well as conducting anti-submarine warfare exercise with warships.

China has not publicly announced most of the developments mentioned in the US media report, so they are little more than mere speculations based on open information that could be false or misleading, a Chinese military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Tuesday.

However, it is logical that China would rightfully continue to develop its underwater national defense capabilities in order to safeguard its national security, sovereignty, territorial integrity and development interests, and other countries are in no position to make irresponsible remarks, the expert said.

The report talked about "US submarine dominance," which exposes the US-style hegemonic mentality that only the US can have absolute advantages over others, the expert said.

The WSJ report also linked China's submarine developments to the Taiwan question, claiming that a greater threat to US submarines would complicate the task of sinking ships in the attacking PLA fleet in case of a PLA reunification-by-force operation.

"The US needs far more resources, such as patrol aircraft and attack submarines, to locate, track and potentially target a new generation of quieter Chinese submarines," the WSJ quoted a former US Navy officer as saying.

Such rhetoric again hypes the "China threat" theory aimed at demonizing, isolating and containing China, and it creates excuses for the US to expand its military budget and for US arms firms to make more profits, analysts said.

It is totally wrong that the US should militarily interfere in the Taiwan question, which is an internal affair of China, experts said.

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Pentagon report hypes 'China threat' to sustain own hegemony, China's military power only makes those with malicious intent feel 'threatened

China warns US, Philippines not to harm its sovereignty, rights

China on Wednesday warned the US and the Philippines that their recent joint naval patrols near Chinese territorial waters should not harm China's sovereignty and maritime interests, with analysts saying the military activities by Washington and Manila showed the two countries have no sincerity to ease tension.

Chinese Defense Ministry rebuts Australia's claims about recent warship interaction

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China’s anti-drone gun debuts in joint drills with SE Asian countries

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) deployed a new type of anti-drone gun during an ongoing multinational joint ...

China-developed global pioneering tandem flying-wing vertical takeoff and landing UAV unveiled in Shenzhen

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Monday, November 20, 2023

Using algorithms to check fraud

New way: In addition to developing algorithms to trace money that could have ended up in the hands of fraudsters, the NFP will be able to forecast the pattern of mule accounts. — AZLINA ABDULLAH/The Star

New National Fraud Portal to streamline end-to-end scam responses

PETALING JAYA: The National Fraud Portal (NFP) will be able to predict the pattern of mule accounts as well as create algorithms to track funds that may have fallen into the hands of scammers, says Bank Negara governor Datuk Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour.

Bank Negara, he said, had decided to put more effort into curbing fraud, especially online financial fraud, as the perpetrators were not only “getting smarter by the hour” but also more sophisticated in their use of new technologies.

These efforts, said Abdul Rasheed, were also in line with the National Risk Assessment of 2023 findings that fraud was one of the five high-risk crimes beside corruption, drug trafficking, smuggling and organised crime.

ALSO READ: NFP requires certain policies to be effective, say experts

“Bank Negara is actively collaborating with PayNet and the financial industry to launch the NFP by the middle of next year.

“Building on the framework and foundations of the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC), the NFP will streamline the industry’s end-to-end scam response, from initial identification and reporting to the recovery of funds.

“This platform will enhance efficiency by automating processes, enabling a more rapid response to assist victims.

“We envision the NFP expanding to include predictive assessments of mule accounts, advanced analytics, and fund-tracing algorithms,” said Abdul Rasheed, declining to divulge further details.

ALSO READ: Budget 2024: National Scam Response Centre allocation doubled to RM20mil

PayNet is the national provider of financial market utilities, set up to build inclusive, accessible and efficient payments and financial ecosystems for Malaysia.

Bank Negara is PayNet’s single largest shareholder, with 11 of the country’s financial institutions as joint shareholders.

Abdul Rasheed said since the NSRC was launched in October 2022, it had received over 19,000 reports on scam cases, leading to the freezing of over RM60mil and the identification of 43,000 mule accounts.

The NFP currently being worked on by the central bank stems from the success of measures such as the “kill switch” for customers introduced by all major banks, he said.

“Falling victim to financial fraud is undoubtedly difficult for those affected, with some victims losing their entire life savings and struggling to regain their economic footing.

ALSO READ: National fraud portal to be ready by mid-2024 - BNM

“With the support of the banking associations, all major banks have implemented these measures, including restricting authentication apps to a single device and introducing a ‘kill switch’ for customers.

“We have observed a 58% reduction in unauthorised online banking transactions reported to the NSRC in the last five months.

“Bank Negara is now also assessing a number of additional policy enhancements on the handling of financial scams.

“This includes strengthening the requirements for financial institutions to undertake more robust investigations, adopt stronger preventive controls, and review the effectiveness of these mechanisms.

“We also plan to clarify the responsibilities of customers to protect themselves and their rights if they fall victim to fraud,” said Abdul Rasheed.

Bank Negara’s efforts to curb scams have been ongoing, with the past year seeing financial institutions migrate from the one-time password (OTP) system to having a ‘cooling-off period’ for the first-time registration of online banking services or secure devices and limiting authentication to one device per customer.

Banks now have their own scam hotlines with more advisories for their customers.

A source with Bank Negara said the portal’s secrecy was one of the key factors in ensuring that scammers were not working in tandem with its development.

“It is crucial that we are one step ahead of the scammers. The problem has always been that we are always running behind the scammers, and now we are playing catch-up,” said the source.

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