Atlas Network is proud to present the 2024 Asia Liberty Award to Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS). The award was accepted by Senior Executive Faiz bin Zaidi at Asia Liberty Forum 2024 in New Delhi, India.
To encourage fiscal accountability and responsibility at both the national and state levels in Malaysia, the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) championed budget transparency by creating Malaysia’s “Open Budget Index.” The tool—modeled after the Open Budget Survey—evaluates the level of budget transparency in Malaysia’s 13 states to educate Malaysians about spending and taxation, increasing public participation in the budgeting process and allowing people to keep their state governments accountable through more regular scrutiny. Because of IDEAS’ involvement, the Malaysian government now encourages public awareness through the publication of documents like the Mid-Year Review and Pre-Budget Statement, reforming a system that once operated in the shadows. IDEAS also protected Malaysians’ right to make informed choices through free and fair political competition by producing a civil society-led “Political Financing Bill,” which ensures transparency in fundraising without the secrecy and corruption that once dominated the political system. The bill requires the full and honest disclosure of all political funding in Malaysia, in addition to levying penalties and administrative fines that will hold wrongdoers accountable to the people.
This year's runners-up are Centre for Civil Society (India) and Bikalpa—an Alternative (Nepal).
The Asia Liberty Award is part of the Templeton Freedom Award prize program sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust—named for the late investor and philanthropist Sir John Templeton. In addition to Asia, the program sponsors awards in Africa, Europe, Latin America, North America, and the Middle East and North Africa. Its grand prize, the Templeton Freedom Award, is presented annually at Atlas Network’s Liberty Forum & Freedom Dinner in New York City. This year, the prize program will award $270,000 in grants to high-achieving organizations that make innovative contributions to economic freedom and human progress.
“Asia’s freedom movement is simply extraordinary, improving people’s lives in some of the world’s most populous places,” said Brad Lips, CEO of Atlas Network. “From India to Malaysia and Nepal, local think tanks and ‘do tanks’ have emerged as the region’s leading freedom champions, making sure that the citizens of these countries better understand the value of individual rights and free enterprise. Whether think tanks are increasing education access for millions of Indian students, expanding political and public policy transparency in Malaysia, or using social media to spread the ideas of liberty in Nepal, there is no limit to what the freedom movement can accomplish. And Atlas Network will support Asia’s freedom champions every step of the way, empowering local heroes to advance even further for freedom.”
