BUKIT MERTAJAM – The civil service has a role in reviving economic growth for Malaysia by easing the cost of doing business, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.
The Tambun MP said that there is much work to do, given the years of weak governance in the past.
“Others have stridently moved ahead such as Indonesia (and) Vietnam. We need to regain our competitive edge,” Anwar said when addressing the civil service corp in Penang at the Universiti Institut Teknologi Mara (UiTM) here.
Among those present were Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and several of the state executive councillors.
Anwar said his unity government has charted a course which will enable the country to regain momentum. His administration also wants to ease the cost of doing business, an aspect closely tied to the civil service.
Citing Singapore as an example, Anwar said an investor could form a company within 24 hours.
Whereas in Malaysia, Anwar noted that it can take up to 14 to 16 months for final approval to be given to investment projects due to state and local council levels delays.
Adding that while he did not expect Malaysia to emulate Singapore completely, he said there was always room for improvement, especially in raising productivity.
He also said meaningful economic growth for Malaysia, where the benefits will reach the people, will take between two to three years more.
He added that the government would reward the civil service, particularly those in the lower rungs, with better perks and allowances, if the economy returns to a strong growth mode.
“I understand the struggles that the low (middle) income (groups) have to face from the rise in living costs. We can only give what we can afford but within the next one to two years, besides poverty eradication, prompt attention shall be given to the civil service. This is my promise and people know that I will deliver on it.”
To attain strong economic performance, there is a need for the civil service to assist the government in easing costs and processes for doing business, he added. – The Vibes, April 14, 2023
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