How not to implode economically

Bank Negara building at Kuala Lumpur.

Populist policies have a way of coming back to haunt the political leaders who introduced them.

The policies may sound nice and kind and win the hearts and minds of the people along with their votes but, as there is no such thing as free lunch in this world, the generous subsidies are usually the cause of countries getting into financial trouble when their luck runs out a few years later.