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Showing posts with label Management. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Management. Show all posts

Friday, June 14, 2024

Weed out the problematic, errant, incompetent officers early



Upholding integrity: Ismail (centre) chairing the EAIC coordination meeting with heads of enforcement agencies. — Bernama

Problematic government officers found to be involved in malpractices or wrongdoings must have their services terminated early to put an end to integrity issues involving civil servants and management,  proposed the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC).

Its chairman Tan Sri Ismail Bakar said the Malaysian civil service was once revered among the Commonwealth nations but noted that it is now entangled with integrity issues.

Ismail said giving marching orders to civil servants who are problematic is the way to go to prevent integrity issues from festering at the new department these officers are transferred to.

ALSO READ: Prepare to lose your job if you fail to report graft cases, warns MACC chief

We are working on eradicating problematic officers in (government) agencies by way of early termination of their service. If the government agrees on this, it will be easier for us to perform our duties,” he said.

Ismail provided examples of court cases involving civil servants who have engaged in malpractice or misconduct.

“But we lost (the case). With the relevant laws, we can see how to terminate their service without having their case concluded in court trials,

Ismail said there has been precedent where problematic officials were terminated, citing existing regulations such as the Public Officers (Conduct and Discipline) 1993 that provide for this.

ALSO READ: ‘Be transparent in sacking corrupt civil servants’

He described the practice of transferring problematic officials to a different department as “a vicious cycle”, which might not be a deterrent.

“What is also worrying is that some civil servants and enforcement officers would get a third party, such as an influential individual or a company, to protect their wrongdoings.

“What is more saddening is that there are higher-ups who are complicit in their subordinates’ wrongdoings.

“In fact, some have even led such activities. Such deeds have tarnished the civil service’s image,” Ismail said.

ALSO READ: ‘Problematic’ civil servants risk early termination, says EAIC chief

He said if enforcement agencies’ disciplinary bodies do not adopt EAIC’s recommendations, it sends a signal that they are not serious about eradicating wrongdoing.

Ismail, who is a former chief secretary to the government, also said that low wages should not be an excuse to be corrupt.

“You already knew your wages (before joining the service), so why did you still take up the job?

“Never use low wages to legitimise corruption,” he said in his opening remarks at the EAIC coordination meeting with enforcement agencies’ department heads yesterday.

“If you love the civil service, carry out the duties you are assigned responsibly,” he said.

Ismail said the EAIC had received 229 reports on integrity cases between June 1, 2023, and May 31, this year, with the highest number of cases related to the Immigration Department.

During this period, the commission initiated 17 investigation papers regarding alleged malpractices by civil servants.

Almost 90% of the probes have been completed and decisions have already been reached regarding two individuals who are being investigated.

The EAIC had, among other things, recommended terminating the public officers’ service, halting their promotion and issuing warnings.

EAIC is a federal statutory body responsible for monitoring and investigating public complaints about the alleged misconduct of enforcement officers or agencies as listed in Act 700.

Currently, it has 21 enforcement agencies under its supervision.

This includes the Immigration Department, Customs Department, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, National Registration Department and Road Transport Department, among others.Ismail also said that the commission is looking for more agencies to fall under its jurisdiction.

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Related stories:

Prepare to lose your job if you fail to report graft cases, warns MACC chief

‘Be transparent in sacking corrupt civil servants’

‘Problematic’ civil servants risk early termination, says EAIC chief

EAIC investigated 17 cases of civil service malpractice in past 12 months

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Sack Anyone Who Doesn’t Perform


Sack Anyone Who Doesn’t Perform

Sack anyone who doesn’t perform – PM and other ministers should learn from Tiong

Saturday, May 25, 2024

M’sian-born CEO paid more than tech titans

Leading the pack: Tan beats Cook, Musk and Zuckerberg in the analysis by the WSJ. — Photo from Broadcom Inc

Tan tops list of highest paid executives in the US last year 

PETALING JAYA: The highest-paid chief executive officer in the United States is neither Apple’s Tim Cook nor Tesla’s Elon Musk, but Malaysian-born businessman Tan Hock Eng.

Tan, 71, also surpassed Meta Platforms’ Mark Zuckerberg by earning US$162mil (about RM760mil) in compensation last year, according to South China Morning Post, which quoted an analysis by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) this week.

“Tan, who is a US citizen, is the CEO of semiconductor company Broadcom Inc and has been topping the pay charts since 2006, receiving US$103mil in 2017,” said WSJ.

However, the pay package comes with several conditions, including the company’s stock hitting a certain level by next year. Tan must also remain as CEO for an additional five years, and he will not receive any more equity or cash bonuses during that period.

The semiconductor company’s shares rose 106% over the past 12 months, bringing its total market capitalisation to US$655bil (RM3 trillion).

Tan is also a board member of Meta Platforms, the US-based company that owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp among others.

Tan, who hails from Penang, completed his undergraduate studies in mechanical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

He also has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the National University of Singapore. He then earned a Master of Business Administration from Harvard University. After returning to Malaysia, he was involved with Hume Industries between 1983 and 1988.

He then moved to Singapore as managing director of venture capital firm Pacven Investment.

He reportedly relocated back to the United States in 1992 and assumed the role of vice-president of finance for PC maker Commodore International.

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Wednesday, October 19, 2022

How to win in the workplace

 

EMPLOYEES today are more aware of their options and are in a better position to decide on roles that align with their interests, values, and priorities.

Our 2022/23 Malaysia Salary & Employment Outlook notes that younger employees tend to prioritise career progression opportunities and a healthy work-life balance compared to employees from other age groups.

Therefore, in the post-pandemic world of work, it is important for employers to engage with employees to address challenges and shape solutions together. It is a process that needs to be carried out effectively and continuously.

With the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI), among other technological developments, new opportunities and challenges have arisen. One primary example is the high demand across key economic sectors for talents skilled in digital fields.

With the prevalence of all things digital, accelerated further during the movement control order, contactless payments such as e-wallets and mobile banking have seen a spike in consumer adoption. In tandem with this demand, the Malaysian government has introduced multiple initiatives to drive the fintech boom and encourage more Malaysians to hop onto the growing digital economy.

As the industry continues to transform, the roles and requisite skills will evolve in tandem. Taking this into consideration, employers must look beyond hiring simply to fill roles. Instead, they must invest in upskilling programmes to ensure talents are available to take on the evolving responsibilities at every level of the organisation. Individuals with cross-functional skillsets across finance and tech will be in especially high demand.

Specialised roles, such as product development, product management life cycle, and data analysts, are some of the hot jobs to look out for. In the post-pandemic business world, many organisations have since undertaken their own digital transformation, leading to rising demand for skilled IT talents.

On the flip side, this creates a highly competitive job market as organisations are expected to adopt a more aggressive approach in hiring the best talents. This means employers who have an existing IT talent pool would also need to step up their retention strategies to avoid losing their talents.

Fierce competition within the industry also serves as a reminder for the workforce to regularly reskill and upskill themselves to stay relevant. In 2020, with the onset of the pandemic, e-commerce experienced a boom when Malaysians, young and old, became regular online shoppers due to the movement restriction orders.

Today, prospects remain strong for careers in the supply chain field as online shopping habits have become part of the new normal.

As the economy strengthens, businesses will need to re-evaluate their strategy and remain on top of supply chain trends to fulfil customer satisfaction while staying profitable. Therefore, there is a growing demand for both white and blue collar workers who have the skills to meet the physical and technological demands of today’s supply chain and logistics careers.

In the post-pandemic world of work, industries have transformed, roles have evolved, and expectations have changed. With this, organisations that engage employees in shaping solutions and addressing challenges will continue to thrive.

The employment market has shown a strong rebound since the country began its transition into the endemic phase of Covid-19. As our economy recovers against new global challenges, ensuring the resilience of the workforce is the way to go if businesses are to thrive.

To win in the marketplace, employers must first ensure they win in the workplace.

BRIAN SIM Country head and managing director PERSOLKELLY Malaysia 

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New approaches to people oriented human resource management

Thursday, June 2, 2022

UK audit shake-up after spate of corporate failures; The two sides of the EY break-up

 

The Big Four

Britain to shake up audit market after Carillion crash

Britain to shake up audit market after Carillion crash - Reuters

 

FILE PHOTO: A view of the London skyline shows the City of London financial district, seen from St Paul's Cathedral in London, Britain February 25, 2017. REUTERS/Neil Hall/File Photo/File PhotoReuters

UK Audit Shake-Up Targets Big Firms After Spate of Corporate Failures

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain set out sweeping reforms of big company audits on Tuesday after high-profile collapses at builder Carillion and retailer BHS in recent years hit thousands of jobs and raised questions about accounting quality.

The business ministry detailed changes to auditing and corporate governance that will be put into law, though the measures are unlikely to come into force until 2024 or later and smaller firms will be shielded from the new rules.

The reforms are in response to 150 recommendations from three government-sponsored reviews on improving auditing in a market dominated by KPMG, EY, PwC and Deloitte, known as the Big Four.

The new law would create a more powerful regulator, the Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority (ARGA), to push through changes set out by government.

In the meantime, the current watchdog, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), will have powers to vet audit companies and ban failing auditors, the ministry said.

Britain will also review a European Union definition of "micro entities", which benefit from simplified accounts. They typically have a balance sheet of no more than 350,000 euros ($377,230) and employ no more than 10 people.

Loosening the definition would mean more firms saving money by filing simplified accounts, though it could raise investor protection concerns. Other reporting requirements will also be reviewed to help attract growth companies to Britain.

The FRC currently focuses on big listed companies, but ARGA's remit would expand to include about 600 private firms with more than 750 staff and an annual turnover of over 750 million pounds ($949 million), a higher threshold than initially flagged. BHS was unlisted.

NO UK SARBANES-OXLEY

To curtail the dominance of the Big Four, the top 350 listed companies would have to appoint a non-Big Four accountant, or allocate a certain portion of their audit to a smaller accountant such as Mazars, BDO or Grant Thornton.

The business ministry could introduce market share caps on the Big Four if there is no improvement in competition.

Directors of premium listed companies would also have to state why they think their internal controls are effective.

This would be done under Britain's "comply or explain" corporate governance code, which the FRC can change without legislation.

UK companies pushed back against enshrining in law a version of mandatory U.S. Sarbanes-Oxley rules, which force U.S. directors to personally attest to the adequacy of internal controls, and face prison for breaches.

"Lessons from Carillion and other recent company failures have been ignored, with little emphasis now on tightening internal controls and modernising corporate governance," said Michael Izza, chief executive of ICAEW, a professional accounting body.

FRC chief Jon Thompson said: "The Government’s decision not to pursue the introduction of a version of the Sarbanes-Oxley reporting regime is, the FRC believes, a missed opportunity to improve internal controls in a proportionate, UK-specific manner."

Big firms would also have to state what external checks, if any, were made on the reliability of their non-financial information in annual reports, such as risks from climate change.

Larger companies would have to confirm the legality of their dividends, a lesson from Carillion. 

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Insight - The two sides of the EY break-up

 

For its part, EY is under particular pressure due to its auditing of collapsed German payments firm Wirecard AG – although it’s not clear that a break-up would rid it of any liabilities arising from that failure. Perhaps EY is preempting tougher regulation.Or perhaps it just sees an opportunity to monetise some of it assets.

  A possible split of EY into separate audit and consulting firms must confront the problem faced by all break-ups: How do you create attractive businesses out of both when one is likely to be seen as inferior?

Here, that would be the newly established standalone auditor. EY – or any Big Four accounting firm that attempts such a separation – has its work cut out to make pure-play audit a success.

The revelation by Michael West Media that EY is considering the move heralds a potentially seismic shift for the industry.

A succession of accounting scandals has long prompted attacks on the Big Four for earning fees from audit clients by selling consulting services such as strategy or restructuring advice.

There’s an inherent conflict of interest in offering these to the same executives whose homework you’re meant to be marking.

While regulatory scrutiny is forcing firms to tread carefully, creating distinct companies is the most reliable remedy.

The United Kingdom’s competition watchdog called for an “operational separation” of audit and consulting within the existing firms in 2019, stopping short of demanding full break-ups because of cost and complexity.

For its part, EY is under particular pressure due to its auditing of collapsed German payments firm Wirecard AG – although it’s not clear that a break-up would rid it of any liabilities arising from that failure.

Perhaps EY is preempting tougher regulation.

Or perhaps it just sees an opportunity to monetise some of it assets.

One option under consideration is the sale of a stake in the consulting business to a private buyer or to the stock market, creating a windfall for EY’s current partners, according to the Financial Times. Demand would likely be strong.

Just look at the private-equity money piling in lately. PwC sold a tax advisory practice to Clayton, Dubilier & Rice for a reported US$2.2bil (RM9.6bil) last year, while KPMG offloaded its UK restructuring arm to HIG Capital LLC.

But what about the rump that remains?

While the underlying economics of the Big Four are opaque, there’s a widespread suspicion that consulting subsidises audit.

At the very least, the ability to share costs means audit fees are lower than they would be for a distinct firm, regulators have found.

Retaining talent

The biggest challenge is how a standalone auditor would attract and retain talent without offering an in-house career in consulting as an option.

Short-sellers and forensic investigators aside, checking company accounts is for many a laborious gateway to other roles.

Audit partners accused of getting it wrong have regulatory probes hanging over them for years (an investigation into Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc’s 2010 accounts only just closed).

No wonder juniors tend to jump ship to better paid and less risky careers in consulting or investment banking not long after they’re qualified.

So auditing will have to be made more attractive, both financially and culturally.

One place to start is expanding the function beyond checking financial statements to offering sophisticated checks on companies’ claims on non-financial performance such as climate and social impact.

When the United States Securities and Exchange Commission is clamping down on greenwashing by investment funds, it’s clear the future of environmental, social and governance investing rests on companies proving they’re not cooking the books on these issues too.

These public-interest assessments are going to be increasingly scrutinised by investors in future.

They are already offered under the umbrella of so-called assurance services, but ought to become a more developed part of corporate reporting.

That would involve transferring some skills over from the consultancy side. The trick will be to add in parts of the current consulting business that are relevant to a more modern vision of audit, without just recreating a new auditor-cum-consultancy.

Of course, separation won’t eliminate all the conflicts in audit.

The chief culprit is the way managers often effectively appoint the audit partners who are meant to be their policemen.

But the prize for stock-market investors is improved audit quality, and a break-up could support that.

The goal should be to create a virtuous circle.

Make audit more enticing as a long-term career, attract people who do the work better – and hopefully cut the number of blow-ups. — Bloomberg

Chris Hughes is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering deals. The views expressed here are the writer’s own.

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Monday, July 5, 2021

Academics attribute China’s success to its highly-rated administrative system & strong governance as CPC celebrating the centenary

  Strong governance is the key

https://youtu.be/g3vnVURtoNI 

What are the keys to China’s economic miracle? 

 Absorbing topic: Ouyang (top centre) with local academics (clockwise from top left) Dr Chang, Prof Wong, Dr Chan and Dr Ngeow discussed the factors behind China’s success at the recent ‘Governance of China: Perspectives from Southeast Asia’ webinar.

 

CHINA’s success in building a strong economy, eradicating abject poverty, curbing the spread of the deadly Covid-19 virus and promoting the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to benefit the world can be attributed to its strong governance capability, according to a recent seminar.

From a backward country in 1978 to an economic juggernaut today, the Middle Kingdom’s rise over the past 40 years has been spectacular. What has its leaders done to create one miracle after another? This question has spurred academics at the Institute of China studies (ICs), Universiti Malaya, to explore factors behind Beijing’s achievements.

This former “sickman of Asia”, invaded and humiliated by the West in the 19th and first half of 20th century, is now the world’s second biggest economy. It is also the world’s manufacturing powerhouse and the largest trading nation. It has lifted about 800 million people out of poverty since Deng Xiaoping introduced reforms.

On the technological front, China is a pioneer and global pacesetter in 5G rollout, e-commerce, artificial intelligence, robotics, high-speed railway, satellite navigation and space exploration.

In the “Governance of China: Perspectives from southeast Asia” webinar, jointly organised by the ICs and the Chinese Embassy in Malaysia, Prof Datuk Dr Danny Wong highlighted China’s 1.4 billion people are enjoying a very high standard of living.

“China’s development plans and programmes are the envy of many nations. All these achievements speak volumes of the country’s ability to govern well – to be able to translate strategic plans into effective programmes that bring results.

“One of the things that struck me as important and relevant now is the manner China has been able to handle the Covid-19 pandemic very well. This is a clear display of China’s strong governance capabilities – both on the home front as well as in the international arena,” said Prof Wong, who is the dean of UM’s Faculty of Arts and social sciences.

Prof Wong, also former director of ICs, shared his ground experience in witnessing China’s ability to plan and implement longterm education strategies.

Earlier this year, China announced economic goals for 2025 and 2035, and a carbon-free goal by 2060.

Analysing Beijing’s multi-decade efforts in poverty eradication, ICs director Dr Ngeow Chow Bing attributed the success to Beijing’s strong determination in eliminating poverty, market-oriented economy and government’s strong involvement.

China’s governance system is unique, Dr Ngeow explained. Within the system is a political structure with a very strong cadre/ official mobilisation capability, target-based governance and pairing assistance between rich and poor areas.

The specialist in China affairs said: “Under President Xi Jinping, the ‘last mile’ (the last 99 million very poor people) of poverty eradication was targeted with precision. Party officials were stationed at remote areas and their problems solved with tailored solutions.

“While China’s institutional structure is vastly different from other countries and not replicable, its strategies in wiping out poverty can be learnt.”

Giving the official view, Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing said: “The secret of China’s effective governance is not enigmatic. It lies in the political system – the socialist system with Chinese characteristics adopted by the Communist Party of China (CPC).”

He said the “people-oriented” philosophy of the CPC in governance has won over the hearts and confidence of its people. This could be proven by surveys. And due to this, citizens are prepared to endure hardship and sacrifice to help the government achieve its goals.

A stark example is seen in the lockdown of Wuhan in combating Covid-19 last year, when residents showed a high degree of obedience towards the directive to stay home and sacrifice personal freedom for weeks.

Dr Peter T.C. Chang, deputy director of ICs, pointed out that China’s unique one-party state has enabled the country to choose its leaders in an effective manner. And the government has built up a trusting relationship with the people.

But he opines China should not be seen as a threat, despite the fact that it has become a global power with footprints around the world through BRI.

“China’s rise is comparatively peaceful and benign. CPC ideology is for China only. From Asean’s perspective, China is not a threat in colonisation. We do not think China harbours that ambition, although there are territorial disputes in the south China sea,” said Chang.

Apart from the CPC, China’s state-owned enterprises (SE) have also played an important role in effective governance, according to Dr Li Ran.

Within each SE is a CPC party committee functioning as a governing body, similar to the board of directors in a company, she explained.

“This party committee ensures that the CPC’s policies and strategies are executed. And this structure has made SE become the visible hand to manage economic activities on behalf of the state,” said Dr Li, a Chinese national serving at the ICs.

Many SEs have been mobilised to implement BRI projects overseas. In Malaysia’s ECRL, China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) and Exim Bank of China are the SES expected to ensure this state-linked project will be a success.

But not all is rosy in SE governance as there are “zombie enterprises” that have incurred huge losses or production over-capacity. some have even been dragged down by corruption and scandals. All these incidents have tarnished the image of Chinese governance.

However, under the leadership of President Xi, a lot of emphasis has been placed on rooting out corruption and improving SE performance, Dr Li observes. Harsh actions were taken against government officials and CPC leaders involved in wrongdoings.

But still, China has under-performed in terms of institutional indicators and qualities in the region when compared with four leading Asean nations, according to Assoc Prof Dr Chan sok Gee.

Her studies, however, showed there is now more accountability in SES, improved government effectiveness and political stability under the leadership of President Xi.

As China celebrates the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC this month to remind its people of the role played by the CPC in making China great again, its unique system of governance has emerged to be a key part of many analytical writings on China’s success story today.

BY HO WAH FOON

 

 

 

 

Celebrating CPC centenary




 
Keepsake: A China Post staff holding a set of 20 commemorative stamps and a commemorative cover issued in celebration of the 100th anniversary of CPC. — Xinhua
 

 China celebrated the ruling party’s anniversary last week. But for the ordinary citizens, they have their own way to mark the event.

MANY couples rushed to tie the knot last week in China. They wanted to commemorate their special day just as China celebrated the 100th birthday of its ruling party, Communist Party of China.

A bride from Beijing said she chose July 1 to register her marriage for long lasting relationship.

“Hope our love would last 100 years, just like today’s celebrations,” Shasha Liu told the local media last Thursday.

It was the day to mark the 100-year formation of the CPC, the sole political party in power that had led the country to become a moderately prosperous society.

Marriage registration offices across China recorded a higher number of couples getting hitched last week.

A Civil Affairs Bureau worker in Jinan city of east China’s Shandong province revealed that they received more than 30 couples in the morning alone.

“I could see that many of them are party members as they were wearing a party emblem on their clothes,” she told the Global Times, but did not reveal the average daily number of couples who had visited the place.

At Baoshan district of Shanghai, a long line of people waited with excitement to start their new life.

“My girlfriend and I are both party members, so we thought this would be a unique way for us to mark this special day and also for the country,” a man, who only wished to be known as Bai, said.

At a hospital in Zhengzhou of central China’s Henan province, a couple in their 80s sang songs along with other patients and medical staff as they celebrated their 50th marriage anniversary.

The pair made the hospital ward their home after the man was admitted for Alzheimer’s several years ago.

“It has been 10 years since he has the disease.

“Even if he has forgotten about everything, I will continue to be by his side,” said the wife as she leaned on her husband.

Identified only as Li, she said their children were busy making ends meet and could not take care of them.

Stamp collectors across the nation got into a frenzy purchase of commemorative stamps and envelopes issued by China Post to commemorate the occasion.

The set of 20 stamps and envelopes reveal the 100-year journey of CPC.

The stamps use red and gold as the main tones while the envelopes contain patterns of the party emblem, Great Wall and a golden inscription of Chinese characters saying “Staying true to our original aspiration and founding mission”, Global Times reported.

A long queue of people formed outside a post office in Shanghai as early as 6.30am.

Among them was 66-year-old Yang Chaode, who travelled 4,000km from Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region.

He had waited for the launch since the day before.

“My friends in Xinjiang are waiting for me to send the letters to them, with the postmark in Shanghai, the birthplace of CPC,” Yang added.

In Wuhan, public bus driver Nie Sanhua cleaned up his vehicle in the early morning before decorated the interior with stickers, posters, party flag and other paraphernalia related to the celebration.

The CPC, founded on July 1, 1921, with just 50-odd members has grown with more than 95 million members.

The formation of the party was proclaimed in front of 12 people onboard a boat at a lake in Zhejiang province.

For decades, the CPC was in the dark on its founding date as there were hardly any records about its formation.

So, the party declared July 1 as its established date in 1941.

In the 1980s, more information was gathered with the findings of more documented records.

Today, a replica of the boat – known as the Red Boat – is parked at the Nanhu Lake, about 100km from Shanghai, to commemorate the event.

In Chinese, the top party leader is known as zong shuji which means clerk or secretary.

The term – the lowest among the official positions – was adopted to show the party’s determination to serve the people and stand alongside with them.

Nanhu Lake has become a popular tourist spot visited by nearly nine million travellers annually following a boost of “red tourism”in recent years.

Red tourism refers to sites with historical and cultural significant to the CPC.

 By Beh Yuen Hui

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Monday, May 4, 2020

Third World should team up with China for progress amid coronavirus pandemic, says Asian Strategy & Policy Institute Chairman

Pandemics have been pivotal points in history with vast contrasting effects on the affected populations. Covid-19 has triggered a global economic turmoil that threatens the world order.

Third World countries should create stronger ties with one another in view of the trade challenges ahead, Asli’s Centre for Public Policy Studies Chairman Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam said.

“Covid-19 has allowed the world to see that the US and other western countries are not all that (competent),” he said yesterday.

“The pandemic ravaged them, while many commonly oppressed countries in South America and Asia handled the situation much better. Third World countries should band together with China to create increased shared prosperity.”

Ramon said the situation would turn dismal if states and economic blocs turn to self-preservation.

“Beggar-thy-neighbour policies that call for protective barriers and sanctions, would provide opportunities for declarations of war and the suppression of the Third World.”

Emir Research President Datuk Dr Rais Hussin said the pandemic has shaken the global economy faster and more severely than the 2008 global financial crisis or the Great Depression of the 1930s.

“In the US, the S&P 500 fell 30% in 22 days, the fastest drop in its history,” he said yesterday.

The S&P 500 is a measurement of the performance of 500 large companies listed on stock exchanges in the US, and is used as a benchmark of its overall market.

“Similar situations can be seen with other countries such as China, India, and the European Union, which are Malaysia’s trading partners.”

He said global powers could force their ways on resource-rich countries as resources wane. “China has already started flexing its muscles with its recent incursions into the South China Sea.”

Meanwhile, Malaysian Trades Union Congress secretary-general J. Solomon said there could be a large exodus of foreign workers from Malaysia.

“With the economic crisis, the Malaysian government should put pressure on companies to prioritise local workers,” he said. “This could lead to an exodus of foreign workers.

“If the government fails to take care of locals, we may instead see a big departure of Malaysians seeking better pay in other countries.”

Solomon also said businesses may head towards automation, instead of employing a human workforce.

“Minister of International Trade and Industry Ministry Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali has called on the business community to reduce their dependence on physical labour and focus more on automation and the use of technology,” he said.

“We see his statement as irresponsible as it creates fear in workers, and we hope that the government will ensure that any such transition will be executed in a balanced manner.”

BY Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam | ASLI



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COVID-19 might have spread in U.S. earlier than previously thought: expert


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