Business owners have adopted a pessimistic outlook of the economic landscape in the third quarter of 2021, despite the change of guard in Putrajaya.
Chief Statistician Malaysia, Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said business confidence had weakened, with the confidence indicator dipping to -21.3 per cent, compared to -3.1 per cent in the preceding quarter.
“All sectors anticipate unfavourable business conditions for the third quarter of 2021, in light of the severe and prolonged Covid-19 pandemic in Malaysia,” said Uzir.
“The confidence indicator of the wholesale and retail trade sector plunged to a negative trajectory, at -39.4 per cent, as compared to 5.6 per cent in the second quarter of 2021. The sector is less confident of their business situation in the next three months.”
He added the same could be said of the industry, services, and construction sectors.
Despite the adversities, Uzir said data showed that most of the establishments predicted their gross revenue would remain the same, if not decrease, and a large number of them anticipated retaining their employees.
“Similar to the three-month outlook, all sectors anticipate negative prospects (till the end of the year).”
Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, in his maiden televised address as Malaysia’s ninth prime minister on Monday, pledged that the new government would look at encouraging private businesses to help uplift the nation’s economy, which had been badly hit by the pandemic and the various lockdowns enforced since March 2020.
Here are Twentytwo13’s news highlights today.
PM GIVES CABINET LIST TO AGONG
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob spent 90 minutes with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong this morning as the former presented the list of Cabinet members to the King.
The meeting was held at Istana Abdulaziz in Kuantan, Pahang.
The much-anticipated Cabinet line-up has already got tongues wagging as certain quarters have expressed their uneasiness over talks that two key Parti Pribumi Bersatu leaders could most likely be named as the deputy prime minister.
Ismail Sabri is expected to name his team soon.
PRIVATE HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION:
START PLANNING FOR BOOSTER SHOTS FOR FRONTLINERS
The Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia said healthcare workers should be given Covid-19 vaccine booster shots to safeguard them against emerging variants.
Its president, Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh, in a statement today, said the shots could be given once a satisfactory number of people in the country had been fully vaccinated.
“We are worried about the fast spread of new variants within the region and elsewhere in the world. Our healthcare workers may be susceptible to Covid-19 infections and suffer serious complications in the event the initial doses do not protect anymore,” the statement read.
“Our success in managing the pandemic relies on the safety and health of the healthcare frontliners.”
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said yesterday that booster shots would not help control the spread of the Delta variant.
“What will help control the Delta variant is vaccinating those who have yet to be vaccinated,” he tweeted last night.
Malaysia today recorded 24,599 new Covid-19 cases.
DORAEMON LATEST TO VISIT VACCINATION CENTRE
Several cartoon characters have made cameo appearances at vaccination centres nationwide. The latest – Doraemon.
Siti Nor Shahira Dhali, 21, wore the costume of the lovable Japanese cartoon character when she turned up to get her Covid-19 vaccination at Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, in Kuala Nerus, today.
Siti Nor Shahira was glad that her decision to wear the costume had injected some happiness among the public and frontliners at the vaccination centre. Some took pictures and videos with her.
Several comic book and cartoon characters, including Spider-Man, Iron Man, Batman, the Joker and SpongeBob SquarePants had made an impression at other vaccination centres nationwide while waiting to get their shots.
FOUR CHARGED WITH MURDER IN KULAI
Three men and a woman were charged at the Kulai magistrate’s court this morning with the murder of a 46-year-old man last week.
Awallludin Abdul Hamid, 54, Hafize Mohamad Kassim, 36, Tan Wei Cong, 25, and Noorhaszieda Hasan, 32, nodded when the charge was read out to them before magistrate Sharifah Maleeha Syed Hussin.
No pleas were recorded from the accused as the case came under the jurisdiction of the High Court.
The four were charged with the murder of Nosaisain Muhamad at a house in Taman Tan Yoke Fong between 7am and 9.45pm on Aug 16.
The court set Oct 5 for re-mention, pending the post-mortem report.
SOCAR AND TNB JOIN FORCES TO JUMP START USE OF EV
SOCAR Mobility Malaysia and Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to leverage shared demand data on electric vehicle (EV) usage in Malaysia.
This is part of their joint effort to speed up the adoption of EVs, in line with global calls to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation.
The MoU outlines TNB’s plans to leverage on SOCAR’s data on vehicle usage and travel behaviour to identify strategic locations along key routes for the installation of charging infrastructure.
The data would determine the location, number, and type of charges for installation, including direct current fast charges.
SOCAR aims to expand its fleet by up to hundreds of EVs in the next two to three years.
