Wong Khen Thau
KOTA KINABALU: The Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MICCI) Sabah echoes and supports the State Government’s decision to ban the exportation of scrap iron temporarily in view of the iron ore price continuing to climb despite hitting its 10-year high in April this year.
Hence, demand in scrap iron would ultimately surge while fetching better prices.
Scrap iron is one of the essential raw materials for Sabah’s steel, building, construction and manufacturing industries and the State Government is one of the key end users of these raw materials for provision of the State’s basic infrastructure.
The Chamber is much obliged for the Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Hajiji Haji Noor, for his prompt and timely decision on the ban to consummate local industries’ elucidation in insufficient supply of scrap iron.
MICCI Sabah Chairman, Datuk Seri Wong Khen Thau, utterly concurred with the State Government’s decision on the ban in order to ensure the sufficient supply of raw material, i.e, to retain scrap iron for the local industries, to secure livelihood of present workers in the related industries and maintaining or reducing the costs of doing business in the State.
Meanwhile, Wong said MICCI Sabah is also gladden with the State Government’s move in revamping its Corporate Policy and Governance Monitoring Committee (CPGMC) putting a step forward for greater accountability and transparency.
On the other hand, he said, imposing good corporate practices and governance for State statutory bodies (BBNs) and government-linked companies (GLCs) would streamline them to be more competitive, resilient and to be able to sustain challenges such as the Covid19 pandemic.
He added that expanding and extending membership of the CPGMC to professional individual and private sectors would invigorate these business sectors for greater heights.
“Whilst in line with MICCI’s belief in encouraging corporates and businesses to operate in a conducive, competitive and malpractice-free environment.
“Hence the essence of proactive with good governance, prudent practices in allocating resources to meet the needs of the society and the business community should be advocated,” he said.
MICCI also supports the National Recovery Plan as announced by YAB Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on Tuesday and hopes to cooperate with the State Government on the government vaccination programme in order to achieve herd immunity and returning economic sectors to normalcy could be expedited.
The Chamber and its members would cooperate with the State Government and MITI Sabah in order to expedite the Program Imunisasi Industri Covid-19 Kerjasama Awam-Swasta (PIKAS) which was announced by MITI on June 12, in view of the increasing number of Covid19 cases in the State. Which has harmfully impacted on businesses and industries State-wide.
“Whilst adhering to the nationwide full movement control order (FMCO) in Sabah and in line with phase 2 and 3 of the National Recovery Plan, we hope that the whole workforce involved in all sectors aged between 21 and 60 years here to be given priority for the inoculation.
“Because these are the group of people exposed to the risks of contracting these fatal and contagious viruses as they perform their day-to-day work,” he said
