IN congratulating Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on his appointment as Malaysia’s 10th Prime Minister (PM) today, the American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) is hopeful that the soon-to-be-formed unity government that will prioritise a consultative policy making strategy.
This according to the chamber’s CEO Siobhan Das will pave way for a robust debate and deliberation between the private and public sector with different stakeholders and the establishment of an effective and transparent implementation system.
“The unity government’s focus on a comprehensive and inclusive approach in managing the economy will help to bridge the economic divide that drives inequality,” she pointed out in a media statement.
“To further bolster Malaysia’s competitiveness, a digitally-driven public services delivery that focuses on efficiency and productivity will drive more investments into Malaysia.”
Added Das: “As 2023 approaches, there are pressing issues that require a whole-of-nation strategy to address, climate change, energy transition, supply chain resiliency, healthcare systems resiliency, intellectual property protection, diversity and inclusion, cybersecurity and digitalisation.”
Towards this end, the AMCHAM looks to the new unity government to focus on the following 13 areas:
- To provide a clear economic narrative for investors for mature, new and prospective investors.
- To enable proactive engagement on policies impacting the business community to be carried out with an ample lead time and timely feedback loops.
- To ensure continuity in policies that are impactful/beneficial from previous administrations. Unless essential, wholesale changes should be approached with caution (instead look to simplify and improve).
- To undertake education reform that enhances Malaysia’s competitiveness and focuses on developing skills for a trading nation in the 21st century such as analytical/systems thinking, team-based problem solving, communicating effectively in English.
- For Parliament to establish a channel to engage with the business community and establish a select committee on growth and economic competitiveness along with a special select committees on education and on healthcare.
- To demonstrate a clear commitment to reform public service delivery impacting the business sector with a strong emphasis on digitalisation with clear plans and timelines.
- To ensure that reforms that strengthen institutions and improve the functions of the political and administrative sectors are ratified and implemented.
- To eradicate all forms of corruption supported by an independent commission that is provided a wide range of powers to prosecute infractions in both the public and private sectors.
- To continue efforts to implement and expand the national policy on good regulatory practice in public service.
- To actively support the implementation of global trade commitments (RCEP, CPTPP, IPEF) and look towards digital trade agreements.
- To work with new federal and state governments to review policies and programmes for new investments. Focus areas: clean energy, logistics & distribution, tax reforms, vocational/apprenticeship training programmes.
- To deliver transparency, consistency and timeliness in government information/data/reports published in multilingual format – Bahasa Malaysia and English – to ensure immediate comprehension and support effective communication.
- To ensure that diplomatic representation is present in strategic countries. – Nov 25, 2022
