Trade group presses Putrajaya to do more to rescue SMEs
KUALA LUMPUR, March 30 — The Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MICCI) urged the government to come up with more measures to support businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
MICCI president President Datuk Tan Cheng Kiat said the survivability of businesses that were the engines of growth and the source of employment must be ensured.
“The prime minister has stated that no one will be left behind, and it really has to cover the whole chain within the economy. If businesses falter, everyone will be left behind,” he said in a statement today.
He noted that the SMEs were the largest class of employers and the main tax contributors in the country.
“Cash handouts are only good for the moment, but the people need continuous and secured employment as well as income beyond three months. Deferment of loans and financial obligations of the rakyat is merely delaying the inevitable,” he added.
He urged that government to consider more aggressive wage subsidies as announced in Singapore, Germany, Canada and the United Kingdom, among others.
He said MICCI had, on March 17, told the government its concerns about the inconsistency of rules applied on businesses and supply chains under the movement control order.
“We suggested that for those approved to operate companies, automatic inclusion of second and third tier suppliers, as the first tier suppliers to these approved manufacturer listed in the original application has or about to run out of supplies as second and third tiered suppliers are not allowed to operate.
“This includes clear transporter guidelines for the authorities manning the roadblocks, as there have been inconsistencies,” he said.
“For the approved to operate companies, MICCI also proposed to allow replacement workers to replace absenteeism or changes in the production plans from the original list of workers submitted for approval,” he added.
He also said what services were considered essential should be clearly defined to remove the continued confusion between the authorities and the private sector.
He also urged Putrajaya to expedite refunds of goods and services tax (GST) inputs and consider other measures to support businesses.
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