Government Procurement Act 2025: Aligning Markets, Discipline, and Integrity
By Dr. Wan Khatina Nawawi Government procurement is one of the largest markets in the economy. Its rules shape incentives, and the new Act brings long-needed clarity and discipline. When the Parliament passed the Government Procurement Act 2025, it did more than tidying up Malaysia’s administrative rules. From the perspective of economics, it marked a […]
Greenwashing and Market Truth: When Deception Distorts Competition and Undermines Reform
By Dr. Wan Khatina Nawawi Greenwashing is increasingly recognised as a source of consumer harm. But its wider implications for market competition, regulatory governance and trade deserve closer attention. This article is the third in the Truth and Accountability series, which examines how rules, systems, and market practices align, or fail to align, with how […]
Points, Perks, and The Price of Loyalty: When Rewards Come With Hidden Costs
By Dr. Wan Khatina Nawawi Loyalty programmes shape decisions and limit mobility in subtle ways. Their impact deserves greater clarity, and their design greater accountability. This article is the fourth in the Truth and Accountability series, which examines how rules, systems, and market practices align, or fail to align, with how consumers and businesses actually […]
Why Credit Rules Must Understand Human Behaviour
By Dr. Wan Khatina Nawawi Law protects what it understands. And to understand credit today, we must first understand behaviour. This article is part of the Truth and Accountability series, which explores how rules, systems and market practices align, or fail to align, with what people actually see, understand and experience. When it comes to […]
Influence without substance When visibility masks value
By Dr. Wan Khatina Nawawi Not all visibility is value. Not all influence is earned. And not all markets reward the right things. I only recently started posting on LinkedIn, and like many others, I am now learning to navigate its built-in analytics. One word that stands out is impressions. It tells you how many […]
Typography, Regulation, And The Power Of Legibility In Consumer Protection
By Dr. Wan Khatina Nawawi Typography shapes trust. This article explores how MAVCOM and BNM regulate font and layout to protect consumers and why it matters. Typography is often dismissed as a matter of taste or branding; something left to the graphic designers or marketing teams. But in the world of regulation and consumer protection, […]
When Opt-Out Means Lost: Defaults, Dark Exits And The Illusion Of Choice
By Dr. Wan Khatina Nawawi Some choices are not made. They are assumed. And some exits are there, but only in theory. In many markets today, consumers are offered more choices than ever. But choice is not only about what options are available. It is also about how those options are presented. Design plays a […]
Deceptive By Design How Dark Patterns Exploit Consumers And Distort Markets
By Dr. Wan Khatina Nawawi Dark patterns are not just bad design. They are strategic tools that erode consumer autonomy and distort market competition. Not all design is neutral. Some are crafted to confuse, pressure or trap users. These are known as dark patterns. They influence users to take actions they may not have intended […]
Typography Matters: When Poor Disclosure Becomes A Competition Issue
By Dr. Wan Khatina Nawawi Poor formatting is not just bad for consumers; it can reshape how markets operate. This piece examines how typography, layout and design drive transparency, switching and competition In Part 1 of this series, I argued that typography is not merely aesthetic but plays a regulatory role. How information is presented – […]
Balancing Innovation and Oversight in ASEAN Competition Regimes for the Digital Economy
By Dr. Wan Khatina Nawawi, Managing Director, EconWorks Advisory As Southeast Asia’s digital economy expands, the governance of platform markets has emerged as one of the region’s most complex policy challenges. Digital platforms now mediate a significant share of commerce, services, and mobility across ASEAN. These platforms are reshaping market structures, shifting competitive dynamics, and […]