What should the role of United Nation be?

Background of United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization founded in 1945.  Their mission is to maintain world peace, develop good relations between countries, promote cooperation in solving the world’s problems, and encourage a respect for human rights which is guided by the principles contained in its founding Charter.

It gives the countries of the world a forum to adjust their national advantages with the interests of the worldwide. It works on the voluntary collaboration and participation of its member countries. Nothing can be accomplished without their agreement and participation. At present, there are 193 member countries with different social, political, and economic systems. All the country which participate in United Nation should agreed with the term and condition that peacefully settle disputes, and do not using threatening or forcing against each other with some problem. The countries with in the United Nation Countries cannot help countries for which countries oppose for the United Nation mission. Headquartered for the United Nation states at New York City which is a separate and independent entity with its own flag on post office and postage stamps, and its buildings sit on international territory. Six official languages are used at the United Nation such as Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish.

The Structure and operation of the United Nations divided into 6 groups. They have Secretariat, General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, Trusteeship Council, and International Court of Justice. The secretariat of the United Nation oversees the programme and policies and take care the operation day by day. General of secretary will set United Nation agenda, bring problem to the Security Council so that they can be the mediator to solve the conflict problem in domestic or international. General Assembly in charge as a operator in global town hall. They are opens discussion for all the people to provide the discussion and suggestion by all the countries. There will having 193 members country, each with one vote. Security Council is the most powerful department that responsible for maintaining international peace and security

There have 54 members of Economic and Social Council countries which serve on the council, the member will be change by every three year with elected system for the programme in medicine, education and social needs. Trusteeship Council established to oversee transition of colonies to independence. For example, Palau Islands which approved for independence in 1994 making Trustee Council obsolete. International Court of Justice also known as the world court which responsible for the case like nations against each other in territorial disputes, human rights violations and trade disagreements.

 (by Lee Chia Ching)

United Nations in Malaysia

Malaysia been joining into the United Nation since 17^th September 1957. Malaysia as one of the security council of United Nations, has sent our country’s security forces to other country for peace keeping missions which the most well-known mission is in the Somalia. United Nations setup several United Nations’ Agencies in Malaysia in which includes the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations High Commisioner for Refugees (UNHCR), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the World Health Organization (WHO). These are the main agencies stationed in Malaysia. In addition to these main agencies, there are UNU- International Institute for Global Health (UNU-IIGH) and WHO-Global Services Center, World Food Programme (WFP), and United Nations Security (UNDSS) are also stationed in Malaysia. United Nations play some of the crucial roles in Malaysia such as providing supports in terms of supporting the poorest and most vulnerable financially, and working together with Malaysia’s Government to help people to live free of poverty, violence, HIV and AIDS. UNICEF in Malaysia is one of the most active from the beginning to transform the lives of children across the nation to improve their lifestyle, health, nutrition, water and sanitation, formal and informal education.

UNHCR in Malaysia work hand in hand together with Malaysian Government in addressing refugee issues on humanitarian grounds. Few months ago, the issues of refugees from foreign country starting to flood into Malaysian borders to seek for refuge in Malaysia. However, due to the economic and financial problems faced by Malaysia, the Government seek help from UNHCR to provide the refugees aid.

In WHO, the agency being helping Malaysia Ministry of Health (MOH) in developing and strengthening of our country’s health system, prevention and control of non-communicable diseases and major risk factors, and promoting healthy lifestyles and mental health in Malaysia. WHO also helps in developing and distributing cure for diseases to countries all around the world.

UNDP in Malaysia provides strategic policy-oriented advice and support for the national policy agenda. UNDP responses to both the short-term and longer-term implications of the Global Economic and Financial Crisis, strengthening gender empowerment and promotion of integrity and many more. UNDP had support and providing advice of knowledge, experience and resources for more than 160 countries for one objective: To ensure the people live a better life.

In short, United Nations in Malaysia play a crucial role in providing advice and support to our country from development, finance, and economics to the welfare of our people include health, lifestyle and many more.

 (by Foo Chi Hong)

Benefit of United Nations to us

The benefit of that a country gains from being a member of the United Nations is the member can having aids and assistance. This is one of the major benefits a country gets from being part of the United Nations organizations. If the nation is tormented with a noteworthy debacle, for example, a major earthquake, tsunami or flood, the United Nation would not dither for a minute sending help to the nation. The second benefit is helping the economic development of the nation. A country that is an individual from the United Nations stands to advantage significantly through the United Nation's unique offices, the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund (IMF). For instance, a nation that is a piece of the United Nations can have admittance to advances from the World Bank which can be utilized to build up the nation and help the nation's economy. This tragically can't be delighted in by a nation that is not an individual from the United Nations. The IMF additionally gives UN part countries crisis credits. This is for the most part given to obligated nations.

Next benefit is joined Nations helps part countries to fortify their wellbeing segments. The UN does this for the most part through its extremely celebrated office, the World Health Organization (WHO). Part nations particularly the poor ones wind up profiting incredibly from a portion of the goals of the WHO, for example, the destruction of the kid mortality, maternal wellbeing and the battle against HIV/AIDS and jungle fever. On account of the WHO from the United Nations, numerous part nations in spots, for example, Africa, Asia and certain parts of South America have possessed the capacity to control the danger of HIV/AIDS through the assets and logistics providing for them by the World Health Organization to advance wellbeing. The last benefit is strengthening of human rights within the country. Any nation that joins the United Nations is bound by the standards and standards of the UN. One of the essential standards and standards of the UN is that all part nations must regard the key human privileges of all. As a consequence of this, human right is significantly fortified in the nation. Securing the human privileges of individuals paying little mind to their race, sex, or religion assumes an imperative part in developing the majority rule government of a nation. This is another advantage that a nation gets from being an individual from the UN.

 (by Lai Jordan)

Objectives of United Nations

The objectives of United Nations is To provide a platform for dialogue and participation of members of the Forum to promote and strengthen the processes of democratization, the rule of law and respect for human rights in Africa and the Arab region, because they need some people to care about them because they country are poor. United Nations will help strengthen Arab-African relations and promote cooperation at the legislative, institutional, business, academic and civil society organizations levels, made them can survive by self. They will support and strengthen, through partnerships and networks, the contribution of civil society organizations in promoting democracy and respect for human rights, some people they will look down the people who are live in the poor country and also will abandon them, that will unfair for them. Another ways is to promote advocacy activities that support the implementation of regional and international instruments and decisions in the fields of democracy and human rights, and that support existing mechanisms and national institutions, the Olympic Games also is a ways to made the different country people can stay together.

The most important purpose of the United Nations is to help maintain world peace and security. World peace is an ideal of freedom, peace, and happiness among and within all nations by which nations willingly co-operate with each other that prevents warfare. Another ways United Nations is to encourage and develop friendly relations through mutual understanding and partnerships among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples, and to take other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace. The aim of the United Nations is to bring all the world nations together to work for international peace and development based on the principles of justice, and to safeguard human rights, to provide a mechanism for international law, and to promote social, cultural and economic progress, improve living standards, and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion. It provides the opportunity for countries to balance global interdependence and national interests when addressing international problems. The one of the purposes of the United Nations is to bring all the nations under the umbrella of the UN by connecting countries to knowledge, experience, and resources and to make UN a better unite for harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of these common ends.

(by Khor Yeow Ping)

Reference Lists

1. "Benefits Of Being A Member Of The United Nations Organization - Hosbeg.Com". Hosbeg.com. N.p., 2013. Web. 5 May 2016.
2. Unesco.org. (2016). Objectives and Functions | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. [online] Available at: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/social-and-human-sciences/themes/democracy/permanent-forum-of-arab-african-dialogue/objectives-and-functions/ [Accessed 5 May 2016].
3. দেখুন, আ. (2016). Mirza Mohammad Rifat: Explain the Principles and Aims of the United Nations Organization. What are conditions for its Membership?. [online] Lawcare87.blogspot.my. Available at: http://lawcare87.blogspot.my/2014/02/explain-principles-and-aims-of-united.html [Accessed 5 May 2016].
4. About the UN | United Nations. 2016. About the UN | United Nations. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.un.org/en/about-un/index.html. [Accessed 06 May 2016].
5. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) . 2016. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.un.org.my/0912010248%C2%BBUnited_Nations_High_Commissioner_for_Refugees_(UNHCR).aspx. [Accessed 06 May 2016].
6. UNICEF. 2016. UNICEF Malaysia - Who we are - Who we are. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.unicef.org/malaysia/about.html. [Accessed 06 May 2016].
7. World Health Organization (WHO) . 2016. World Health Organization (WHO) . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.un.org.my/0912010416%C2%BBWorld_Health_Organization_(WHO).aspx. [Accessed 06 May 2016].
8. World Food Programme (WFP) . 2016. World Food Programme (WFP) . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.un.org.my/1104040224%C2%BBWorld_Food_Programme_(WFP).aspx. [Accessed 06 May 2016].
9. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) . 2016. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.un.org.my/0912010343%C2%BBUnited_Nations_Development_Programme_(UNDP).aspx. [Accessed 06 May 2016].
10. UN Country Team In Malaysia . 2016. UN Country Team In Malaysia . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.un.org.my/0912010354%C2%BBAbout_Us.aspx. [Accessed 06 May 2016].

2. 
   

Current Tax System is unfair to the middle and lower income groups. Do you agree?

The current tax system is unfair to the middle class and lower income groups do you agree?

           We agree that the tax system is unfair for the middle and the lower income groups. In Malaysia  currently impose new taxation law which is the new Goods and Services Tax (GST). Although in other countries such as Australia have already impose these tax to their country which is Value Added Tax (VAT) which is similar to our GST, but the current economic status in our country is not very stable and it causes in increasing the burden for the middle income and lower income groups.

            Malaysian population been seperated into three income groups that is high, middle, low, then with the recent oil price hike it is believed that the middle-income group is the worst hits, because some people at middle class they just only can cover their income only. First of all , high income group which is the richest group of people in our society is always inflation- proof. The lower income group is generally taking public transportation of which the fares are still being protected by the government.

            When our tax system increase but our government does not rise up the minimum salary and come out with a more effective housing scheme for the lower income group as most people spend at least one third of their salary paying housing loans or house rentals. It is reported that the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) collected about RM 10 billion in personal income tax which is contributing 7% of the government’s total inland revenue of RM 147 billion. This is paid by approximately 1.1 million working class people out of total eleven million strong work force. In other words, only one out of 26 people in this country pay a single sen of person income tax due to the present unfair tax system.

            For the personal income tax, we also disagree for that system. The middle and the lower income groups their salary only can cover the family, for the middle who are have RM3000 above salary in Malaysia Act they need to pay the income tax, these income tax will made them trouble compare with the people who are rich or high income they will pay higher tax but for their income the tax their pay is only 10% for their profit only, so hopefully our government can come out a new tax system to made it fair for every classes.

(by Foo Chi Hong)

             The GST in Malaysia our government set it 6% that means that when the consumer buy a cup of coffee in Starbucks the price of the coffee is RM10 they charge the GST 6% the consumer need to pay RM10.60 adding more RM0.60. The high, middle, low groups also need to pay this GST 6%, compare with the high income person RM0.60 is not be affect, but for the low income person RM0.60 for them, they can buy 2 eggs for breakfast, is heavy burden for them. We agree that is unfair for the lower or middle income person they need to have more allowance and benefit from the government.

·                     Critics have argued that the GST is a regressive tax, which has a more pronounced effect on lower income earners, meaning that the tax consumes a higher proportion of their income, compared to those earning large incomes. A study commissioned by the Curtin University of Technology, Perth in 2000 argued that the introduction of the GST would negatively impact the real estate market as it would add up to 8 percent to the cost of new homes and reduce demand by about 12 percent. India has opted for a dual-GST model. Critics claim that CGST, SGST and IGST are nothing but new names for Central Excise/Service Tax, VAT and CST and hence GST brings nothing new to the table. The concept of value-add has never been utilised in the levy of service as the Delhi High Court is attempting to prove in the case of Home Solution Retail while under Central Excise the focus is on defining and refining the definition of manufacture instead of focusing on value additions. The Revenue can be very stubborn when it comes to refunds as the Maharashtra Government proves and software entities that applied for refunds on excess service tax paid on inputs discovered.

            First of all, GST is an important source of revenue for government, especially for countries such as Singapore and Hong Kong, where the personal tax and corporate tax are low. With  huge amount of GST collected, government can manage the country more effectively, which is obviously beneficial to both individual and the society as a whole. For example, the government can use the GST collected to build infrastructures such as hospitals and schools so that people get access to quality healthcare and education.

(by Lee Chia Ching)

GST can also be a tool for government to curb the overconsumption of undesirable goods. Government can set high GST for cigarette, alcoholic products and prostitution (if the government perceive sex industry as undesirable). Supply curve shifts up, quantity demanded drops (i.e. price increases, consumption decreases). In economics term, tax is varied across different goods and services so as to reduce the society's welfare deadweight loss due to overconsumption of demerit goods or goods that imposes negative externality. 

Moreover, GST can be used to implement fiscal policy. As a tax that is imposed economy-wide, GST can be raised or lowered to effectively manage the economy. For example, during economic downturn, GST should be reduced so that the equilibrium output of the society as well as the employment opportunities increase. Conversely, the government should raise tax level during booming period. It curbs the aggregate demand in the long run, hence cools down the economy (i.e. lowers the inflation). It is interesting that, by increasing tax, the general price level will eventually fall. The explanation is that in the short run, tax increase causes mild inflation, however, in the long run, consumers and companies have less money to spend and invest. Aggregate demand as well as price level fall in the long run.

However, GST is not flawless. The blunt tax penalises everyone in the society equally, inclusive of both the rich and the poor. Unlike the income tax or corporate tax, GST is hardly progressive. It makes necessities such as food, transport, houses, clothing and medical treatment more expensive to the exact same extent to both the rich and the poor, adversely affecting the equity of the society. Fortunately, GST can be progressive if the government taxes more on luxuries and less on necessities. Moreover, government can construct strong transfer or welfare system to assist those financially needy citizens. 

Overall, GST brings more benefits than harms to society. That's precisely why most of the countries, if not all, collect GST.

(by Lai Jordan)

            The research find out the reason why the middle class they feel unfair. The taxes on wealth, such as capital gains, are often subject to a lower tax rate than wages and salaries, which the vast majority of every day Oregonians rely on for most of their income. A fair tax system would narrow the disparity between tax rates on income from wealth and income from work. The small family businesses according to the National Small Business Association, 40% of small businesses reported spending more than 80 hours a year dealing with federal taxes in 2014. Businesses in Oregon and across the country should be using this time to grow their business.

            Another ways is they pay the tax without the basic standards, too many unaffiliated tax-return preparers are incompetent or even unethical, giving taxpayers incorrect advice and potentially depriving them of their refund something that many Oregon families depend on. Senators Wyden and Cardin are fighting to set basic standards that tax preparers must meet. The middle and low income people in Americans who cannot afford expensive accountants that rely on the IRS for tax help. The customer service has declined in recent years due to budget cuts, so much that calling the IRS is like shouting into a void. Only 40% in US taxpayers calling into the IRS for help can get through to a real person. IRS budget cuts have led to inadequate service meaning billions in taxpayer dollars go uncollected every year. Many well-off taxpayers know this and have little fear of getting audited.

         We agree the current tax system is unfair for the middle class and lower income groups, because have some reason and example to approve that. Even that is unfair the middle and lower class also must adapt hope the government will come out a new allowance and benefit for them. Something we can’t say that is unfair, maybe from another side they is a way to made the middle and lower income person more motivate to gain more income.

(by Khor Yeow Ping)

Reference

M.malaysiakini.com. (2008). Why personal income tax should be abolished. [online] Available at: https://m.malaysiakini.com/letters/88685 [Accessed 3 May 2016].

Quora.com. (2016). [online] Available at: https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-good-sides-and-the-bad-sides-of-GST-goods-and-services-tax [Accessed 3 May 2016].

The Huffington Post. (2012). Buffett Rule Goes Down. [online] Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/16/buffett-rule-vote-fails-senate_n_1429657.html [Accessed 3 May 2016].

Wyden.senate.gov. (2015). 10 Ways the Tax System is Unfair to Middle-Class Americans | Senator Ron Wyden. [online] Available at: https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/blog/post/10-ways-the-tax-system-is-unfair-to-middle-class-americans [Accessed 3 May 2016].