Malaysia has to stay competitive

IT was reported that the Philippines had just reduced their number of public holidays from 21 days to 16 days from 2011. It looks like in President Benigno Aquino, the Philippines has at last a leader who understands what’s good for his country.
He has listened to the business community and realised that unless he makes some wholesale changes, the Philippines will not be able to compete in a globalised economy.
Vietnam has nine days, Singapore has 11 days, and Taiwan has 12 days, but Malaysia has 18 to 19 days depending on which state you are in.
If we deduct the weekends, annual leave, medical leave entitlement and public holidays, a typical Malaysian would work for only about three-and-a-half days a week! And now, Malaysia wants 90 days of paid maternity leave, coming hot on the heels of a five-day week!
While I risk the ire of womenfolk in Malaysia for saying this, the reality is that there will come a point where many Malaysian employers will refrain from hiring women in the child-bearing age bracket.
As much as it is politically incorrect to be saying this, the ultimate loser will be female employment opportunities.
All these factors, directly or indirectly, must affect Malaysia’s competitiveness.
Does it then surprise us when our standard of living continues to fall year after year. It’s no wonder then that our FDI last year was at a record low, a trend which has been on the decline in the past decade.
The very FDI that used to come to Malaysia is now going to the likes of Vietnam and Indonesia, and lately, the Philippines.
As a small Malaysian entrepreneur, I have been forced to outsource more than 75% of my products overseas, whereas I used to manufacture everything locally up to about four years ago.
And who will be the loser if more and more Malaysian companies contemplate relocating to neighbouring countries?
We employers are a neglected lot. For a start, we are the minority in this country.
The Government will do anything to please the workers, as they represent the voting majority in the country. But the Government must remember that without entrepreneurs and investors, there will be no employment.
It’s about time the Government has some empathy for employers.
As a loyal citizen, I am not in favour of deserting Malaysia, but as a businessman responsible for the survival of his company, what choice do I have?