Facing the Economic Realities

The comments by executive director of the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF), Samsuddin Bardan that 10,000 Malaysians have lost their jobs since 1 January 2009 due to the global economic slowdown show that the economic situation in Malaysia is not as rosy as pictured. Malaysians should face the reality of the situation and take the necessary steps to face the challenges ahead. There is nothing wrong with Malaysia as the current economic situation is a consequence of the global economic crisis as Malaysia can’t be isolated from the effects. I agree with the call of the MEF to the government to release the second economic stimulus package as soon as possible to keep the hard-hit companies afloat. At the same time, the government should urgently remove any hindrances or red tape that might be a dampener to the setting up of new enterprises. With an expected drop in consumption, now is a good time for the government to pump in funds to develop and upgrade schools, health clinics and other construction projects. This will stimulate economic activities and inject back confidence amongst contractors, retailers and other supply chains.
Despite the fact that the Year of the Ox started off on a pretty pessimistic note – with the MEF comments, the International Labour Organization reporting that up to 51 million jobs worldwide could disappear by year-end and the collapse of the Irish government due to economic worries – all is not lost for Malaysians. My hunch is that as the Year progresses, we will begin to see positive signs. The Malaysian government has already taken urgent steps to address the situation through the economic stimulus packages aimed at various sectors and the US and China governments have undertaken urgent measures to stimulate the economy. The results of these concerted global efforts will soon kick in. I am confident that the current situation would not be as bad as the Deep Depression in which the world took ten years to recover.
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Investigate A. Kugan’s death without prejudices

I welcome the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Musa Hassan’s assurance that police will carry out a full investigation into the death of A. Kugan who died while he was in police custody. The IGP’s comments that there will be no cover up are important in reassuring the public of transparency in the police investigations. I urged the police to carry out a thorough and fair investigation into what happened, without any prejudices. The quick, transparent and affirmative action by the police in getting to the bottom of what led to A Kugan’s death and to mete out the necessary punishment for the culprits (if any) will reflect the professionalism of the Police force in carrying out their duties without any discrimination or biasness and thus increased the confidence and perception of the people towards the Police.
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Gong Xi Fa Cai

I wish all Chinese in Malaysia Gong Xi Fa Cai. I wish you and your loved ones health and prosperity in the Year of the Ox. The Ox symbolizes prosperity through fortitude and hard work and perseverance. The typical Ox is a tolerant person with strong character that exercises resolution and fearlessness when accomplishing a task. Although we are in the midst of economic uncertainties, I am confident that if Malaysians will adopt these characteristics, we would be able to override the effects of the current situation. With this, we can certainly look forward to a better year ahead. I also take this opportunity to urge Malaysians to drive carefully when commuting to and from their home towns as well as during their visitations. Let us all celebrate this time together by renewing ties with our families and friends, including those of other races in the true Malaysian spirit of Muhibbah! Gong Xi Fa Cai!
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Aye to a new KLIA East@Labu

I fully support Air Asia’s move to build a new low cost terminal in Labu. The KLIA East @ Labu project is timely as the current low-cost terminal, LCCT at Sepang is unable to cope with the increased volume of passengers using Air Asia. The congestion at the current LCCT in Sepang does not augur well for the image of the country, especially to tourists. With the increased number of passengers opting for low-cost carriers, it is important that these tourists have a good ‘first impression’ of te country when they arrive. The new terminal, when in 2011, is projected to be able to accommodate 30 million passengers which AirAsia and AirAsia X hope to carry by 2015. With a larger volume of traffic expected over the next few years, the KLIA East @ Labu project is very much needed. The project is also consistent with the government’s aim to make Kuala Lumpur a regional air transportation hub as well as efforts to popularise Malaysia as a tourist destination.

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New Year Greetings

I wish all Malaysians a Happy 2009. Although 2009 is expected to be filled with challenges as a result of the global economic situation, I believe we can override these, taking into account the stimulus package undertaken by the government as well as the country’s strong economic fundamentals. We need to continue to be resolute and strong and remain united in helping the country overcome the economic uncertainties by making Malaysia a preferred choice of investments, especially in the wake of competition from regional countries. I am confident that with the full support of all Malaysians and the commitment of the leaders, the country will see a better economic future that will translate into a better tomorrow for the rakyat.
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