The role of budget speech: a Malaysian Government study

Ferry, L, Zakaria, Z and Eckersley, P ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9048-8529, 2014. The role of budget speech: a Malaysian Government study. International Journal of Public Sector Management, 27 (7), pp. 564-580. ISSN 0951-3558

Preview

Text 10875_Eckersley.pdf - Post-print Download (596kB) | Preview

Abstract

Purpose: This paper studies the role of budget speech in the Malaysian Government as a “hybrid” for governing both the economy and social cohesion.

Design/methodology/approach: Through archival research, a governmentality framework and the concept of hybrids (Miller et al. 2008) are employed to explore the role of budget speech in articulating ways in which the Government managed the economic and social agenda.

Findings: Previous governmentality studies have primarily been conducted on economic performance in Western liberal democracies. Such research has illustrated the framework, measures undertaken by the Government and choices of the governable person in actions for economic life. This article applies these studies to a south-east Asian context and finds that budget speeches between 2007 and 2011 are hybrids, in that they set out ways of achieving the two key priorities of post-independence Malaysia – the need to promote economic development whilst also fostering social harmony. Most notably, it finds that economic development was the dominant priority in those budget speeches held prior to the global financial crisis and 2008 general election, whereas social cohesion assumed this position from 2009 onwards.

Originality/value: The findings have both practical and social implications for Malaysia, but also other jurisdictions that are using budget speeches to try to promote economic reforms and foster social cohesion.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	International Journal of Public Sector Management
Creators:	Ferry, L., Zakaria, Z. and Eckersley, P.
Publisher:	Emerald
Date:	2014
Volume:	27
Number:	7
ISSN:	0951-3558
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.1108/ijpsm-01-2014-0010 DOI
Divisions:	Schools > Nottingham Business School
Record created by:	Jonathan Gallacher
Date Added:	26 Apr 2018 07:32
Last Modified:	26 Apr 2018 07:32
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/33333

Actions (login required)

Edit View

Statistics

Views

Downloads