Malaysia has been one of the big movers in the latest World Bank survey on the ease of doing business, moving up six rungs on the international ladder to be ranked 12th overall. However, making it easier to obtain construction permits and start a business, two areas signalled out for improvement, will help the country achieve its goal of breaking into the top 10.
The annual study aims to provide an objective measure of business regulations for local firms and give an indication of the progress in facilitating private sector development. In the 2013 edition, released on October 23, Malaysia further consolidated its reputation for economic reform, building on its performance in 2011 when it moved from 23rd to 18th place. The improvement in the rankings puts Malaysia behind only Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea in Asia, and ahead of regional heavyweights Japan and China.
The survey, titled “Doing Business 2013”, saw Malaysia improve its competitiveness in a number of areas, including registering property and trading across borders. The country continues to be ranked first globally in terms of gaining access to credit, and it also won accolades for the judicial network protecting investors, where it came in fourth among the 185 countries surveyed.
Recognition of the strong performance will help to further promote development and investment, said Annette Dixon, the country director for Malaysia at the World Bank. “This will help the private sector drive growth, particularly if Malaysia can build on its success by continuing to tackle long-term challenges, such as improving the quality of education,” Dixon said in a statement accompanying the release of the report.
According to Yeah Kim Leng, the group chief economist at RAM Holdings, a financial research firm, the improved business environment will help maintain Malaysia’s high profile as a prime investment destination. “It enhances business sentiment and confidence,” he said on October 24. “If the improvement is sustained, what we will likely see is an increase in business dynamism and a higher level of business activity.”
Mustapa Mohamed, the minister of international trade and industry, said that the findings of the study confirmed Malaysia’s competitiveness as an economy, and reflected the successful implementation by the government to improve the business environment, making it conducive for sustained economic growth. The next step, according to the minister, is putting in place further reforms that should move Malaysia even higher up the rankings. He did acknowledge, however, that the task would be a difficult one, given the competitive nature of the global economy.
“Our objective is to achieve a top-10 position in the World Bank’s rankings. Getting there will strengthen our position as a destination of choice for local and foreign investors,” Mustapa said. “This is with new competitors constantly emerging and economic uncertainties globally. It is apparent that more needs to be done in the shortest time possible if we are to stay ahead.”
While the study very much stressed the positives, it also detailed a few areas of improvement that will have to be dealt with before Malaysia can break into the higher rankings. Despite the government making it easier to obtain construction permits, it still placed only 96th overall in this category. There is also room for improvement in the ease of starting a business, in which was Malaysia ranked 54th this year.
Two state agencies, the Special Taskforce to Facilitate Business (Pemudah) and the Performance Management Delivery Unit (Pemandu), have been tasked with addressing these issues, as well as developing strategies to promote best bureaucratic and administrative practices, with Pemudah in particular working closely with the private sector to cut red tape.
In an opinion piece carried by The Malay Mail on October 26, Ramon Navaratnam, the chairman of the Centre of Public Policy Studies, an independent think tank within the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute, said the World Bank study did not cover issues such as public services or the non-business sectors of society. Improvements in the provision of services in areas such as health, education and social welfare also need to be addressed when considering the state of the economy.
“The best way forward is for the public sector to adopt further best practices, forced by global competition to perform more competitively all the time or face the prospects of losing its profits and business opportunities for growth,” he said.
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