Based on the recognition that the evasion of real estate tax is much more difficult than the evasion of personal income tax and the assumption that, in general, taxpayers with similar income would consume a similar amount of housing and pay a similar amount of real estate tax, we build a model...

The purpose of this paper is to study the impact of real income growth on the consumption of rice in Peninsular Malaysia from 1972 until 1983. A forecast of rice self-sufficiency is man-made for the years 1985-1990.

Malaysia, a country of approximately 16 million people which gained independence in 1957, relied heavily on trade to achieve substantial growth in GNP during the 1960s (6.7 percent per year) and 1970s (10.5 percent per year). In the period 1980-83, however, the rate slipped to 3.1 percent per...

Since 1960 Malaysia has become a highly efficient producer of natural rubber, thanks to its agricultural and trade policies. The primary purpose of these policies has been to maintain political and economic balance. Consequently, Malaysia’s leaders have concentrated on modifying agricultural...

This study examines the development and evolution of Malaysian agricultural pricing policies in relation to rubber, oil palm, and paddy for the period 1960 to 1983. Particular emphasis is placed on tracing the political pressures that generated and sustained these policies. The magnitude of...

Business surveys often give early signals of the direction and magnitude of economic activity. One release, the relatively new Empire State Manufacturing Survey, is demonstrating an ability to provide information ahead of U.S. production and employment trends. In fact, the predictive power of...

A two-year-long economic downturn and a persistent income gap with the U.S. mainland contribute to an uncertain outlook for Puerto Rico. Still, the commonwealth possesses a skilled and educated workforce, a favorable business climate, and the benefits of U.S. legal and financial structures -...

The U.S. personal saving rate's negative turn in 2005 has raised concerns that Americans may have to curtail their spending and accept a lower standard of living as they pay off rising debts. However, a closer look at saving trends suggests that the risks to household well-being are overstated....

The sharp divergence in the 2001 recession between two key economic indicators-manufacturing production and goods output-could suggest that one indicator is flawed, casting doubt on the reliability of its overall series. This analysis finds no evidence of error. Rather, the strength of spending...