The water sector reform in Malaysia, initiated in 2004, intended to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the water sector in the long term. This book explains the overall policy process of the reform and assesses the extent to which the reform has met its objectives and the means through which it has done so. The conclusions point to a weak correlation between the reform outputs on the one hand and the operational efficiency and environmental effectiveness gains of water utilities on the other. They also offer valuable insights into the policy arrangement that successfully shaped the water reform process. The policy process of the Malaysian water sector reform reflects the current global trend towards centralizing water management within the public domain with a clear division of tasks between policy formulation, regulatory oversight and service provision. Federal and state actors have become the dominant players in the water sector. This has reduced the role of private water utilities to a small fraction of activities within the entire value chain of water, and strengthens close regulation oversight from the regulator. Lastly, civil society groups now have a growing (albeit still small) influence on the water sector. In terms of policy recommendations, this book reiterates the need to adopt a private sector culture in managing public water; to establish a clear division of tasks between policy formulation, regulation and service provision; and to facilitate wider public engagement as well as to promote better informational governance in the water sector, including the call for a national water data bank.

This book contains research findings from three major study areas, natural sciences, social sciences, and public policy and management. The focus area extends over geographical zones ranging from mountainous area of Mount Gagau in the Taman Negara National Park, down to the coastal islands of Bidong, Redang and Perhentian on the eastern coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Chapters on natural sciences examine the physicochemical characteristics of water, physiological and ecological constraints to geological and climatological aspects. The social science and management chapters observe the rich ethno-heritage of local communities and how they interact and develop as a culture, and public policy for sustainable management. Viewpoints from political science, history, sociology, economics, anthropology and management science are also taken into account. This book is intended for researchers and graduate students to create an understanding of the rich heritage, while policy makers plan for future generations. Readers will benefit from this book by studying the gaps in the current knowledge and move to develop further research to understand the unexplored forest canopies and the dynamics of the changing Greater Kenyir landscapes.

Malaysia’s natural resources and its well-educated population are some of the many credentials that keep the country in good stead, with priorities centred on preparing for the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015 and steering the policy framework toward more inclusive political representation. The economy is built around global trade, and the government is working to encourage greater private investment. Malaysia's GDP per capita is the highest in South-east Asia, with the exception of smaller countries like Singapore and Brunei Darussalam, $ reaching 10,548 in 2013 based on a GDP of $ 307.25bn and a population of almost 30m. The country produces 39% of the world's palm oil and 44% of its exports, and Increasing global demand for the commodity Bodes well for the industry. Malaysia has seen its stock rise in the World was Bank's Annual " the Ease of Doing Business" report, moving up to 6th position in 2014 from 8th the previous year. 's Avatar Recent times have seen the Government push hard for a Greater role for the : private sector in the country's development, with the various Government Programmes aiming to boost Transparency, accountability and Sustainable Growth. The overall aim of these plans is to elevate Malaysia to become a high -income country by 2020.

Edited by the Water Policy Research Center of the Environment Department of Tsinghua University, this comprehensive report on the Chinese water sector is a collection of findings from recent research conducted by the Center and government consultancy reports. The report presents an overview and analysis of the current situation of the reform of the Chinese urban water sector. This is followed by case studies and appraisals on 17 water industry reform measures collected by the authors in 14 cities. The report then examines key problems of the current water industry reform. The comprehensive scope of this report, the level of detail, as well as the authors’ insights together make this document a unique reference on China’s water industry, as well as an important guide to the future of China’s water management. The book will be extremely useful for public utility reform in China and in other countries. It will therefore be of particular value to government departments, policy advisors, consultants, financing bodies, and utility service providers. The report is part of the Water21 Market Briefing Series. Titles in the series provide more focused insight into aspects of the international water sector. About the authors: Dr Tao FU is Director of the Water Policy Research Center, Tsinghua University, Beijing, P.R. China. Dr Miao CHANG is Senior Research Fellow at the Water Policy Research Center, Tsinghua University. Dr Lijin ZHONG is with the Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University.

Water infrastructure is an essential element in water management. Together with institutions, policies and regulation, it provides basic services to growing populations, especially in developing countries, where much of the growth is taking place. In the Asia-Pacific region, for instance, populations are growing not only in size but also in affluence, straining further the existing infrastructure and demanding urgently the development of a new one. While 79% of total water use in Asia occurs in agriculture, the fastest increases in demand are emanating from industry and from urban areas. This trend is a natural consequence of the fastest industrialization and urbanization process in history. By 2030, more than 55% of Asia’s population will live in urban areas, an increase of 1.1 billion people. Nevertheless, water infrastructure is of concern not only in the global South but also in the North, where much of the drinking-water infrastructure needs upgrading or replacement, a significant undertaking as infrastructure is more than a hundred years old in many cases. The American Water Works Association estimates that changing all of the water pipes in the United States would cost more than USD 1 trillion. In this book, in-depth case studies on water infrastructure challenges and policy solutions are presented from different parts of the world. This book was published as a special issue of the International Journal of Water Resources Development.

Successful reform of the security sector has been regarded as pivotal for a successful transition from authoritarianism to democracy by Western donors. A global cast of contributors examines SSR in a variety of policy fields in Southeast Asia, paying specific attention to the adaption of 'Western' reform concepts by local actors.

Asia after the Developmental State presents cutting-edge analyses of state-society transformation in Asia under globalisation. The volume incorporates a variety of political economy and public policy oriented positions, and collectively explores the uneven evolution of new public management and neoliberal agendas aimed at reordering state and society around market rationality. Taken together, the contributions explore the emergence of marketisation across Asia, including China, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam - what is now often described as the world's most economically dynamic region - and the degree to which marketisation has taken root, in what forms, and how this is impacting state, society and market relationships.