How Well Are We Performing "Fact"ually

Malaysia among top 10 in Asia - New Straits Times, 27th Sept 2006

• Malaysia is the second most competitive country in Asean after Singapore, and remains highly competitive among Asian nations this year. It is ranked the sixth most competitive after Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea in the region.
• Asia’s two emerging economic giants — China and India — are lower down the ladder. China falls from 48th to 54th position, while India ranks 43rd. While Malaysia’s overall competitiveness ranking has dropped one rung to 26th — it was 25th last year — among 125 countries worldwide, in terms of "market efficiency" it is ranked ninth, with Hong Kong taking the pole position followed by the United States and the United Kingdom in second and third positions respectively.
• The Geneva-based World Economic Forum, which develops the Index, says: "Malaysia exhibits one of the most efficient economies in the region, with flexible labour markets, relatively undistorted goods markets and public institutions that in many areas (example rule of law, the legal system) are already operating at the level of the top performing European Union members that joined in 2004".
• "There is no question that the country has come a long way and has excellent prospects," said Augusto Lopez-Carlos, Chief Economist and Head of the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Network.
• But there are concerns too. According to him, Malaysia’s overall competitiveness score would be improved "if the government was more successful in reducing the public sector deficit. Improving the health of the workforce and access to education would also do much to enhance the country’s competitiveness".

Summary table for comparison between the ASEAN neighbours (source of info from www.weforum.org). Simple stats, we have gotten worse and dropped one rung from previous ranking, 25th to 26th. Please cut the crap about how others are doing to make yourself feel good, and stop painting nice pictures on the ranking. This is how I look at it "Malaysia’s overall competitiveness ranking has dropped one rung to 26th — it was 25th last year" That all, "fact"ually.