More developers call for housing incentives under the Budget 2017

Developers are calling for more incentives for first time buyers of affordable homes in the Budget 2017. Suggestions include the following:

• Relaxing lending approvals.

• Revise the percentage of funds in Employees Provident Fund (EPF) Account One and Two.

• Revise end-financing regulations for property purchases.

• Give property developers incentives to build affordable homes.

Source: The Star, 4 October 2016

Calls to support halal SMEs

The CEO of DagangHalal Sdn Bhd has called for the Government to help incentivise more halal small and medium enterprises (SMEs) so that these businesses can take advantage of the infrastructure in place to build a digital economy.

Source: New Straits Times, 4 October 2016

FMM seeks business incentives, reduced dependency on foreign labour

The Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) expects the Government to introduce more incentives in the Budget 2017 to alleviate the increasing cost of doing business so that it can remain competitive. Apart from that, it hoped that the Government will increase efforts to reduce dependency on foreign workers by encouraging lean management, where unnecessary costs (eg labour or material) are cut to optimise operational effectiveness.

Source: The Star Online, 4 October 2016

Government should prioritise the poor

The Malaysian Government faces a difficult task in balancing the need for growth and aiding its people. According to the chairman of the Centre for Public Policy Studies, the Government should focus on providing better services to the poor and not just be fixated with the country’s growth. The people’s incomes are not rising in tandem with the costs of goods and if the Government does not assist the poor, the Government’s policy of primarily focusing on country’s growth may backfire.

Source: The Edge Financial Daily, 5 October 2016