Thursday June 21, 2012

New ACCCIM president praises Najib for his openness

KUALA LUMPUR: Newly-elected Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM) president Datuk Lim Kok Cheong has praised Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's openness in engaging the group.

He said Najib's openness was to help resolve issues affecting the Chinese business community. “We should give him (Najib) the support to lead the country and bring stability to it for the nation's benefit,” he told reporters after the opening of the ACCCIM's 66th annual general meeting here yesterday.

The meeting was launched by Najib. Lim, who will helm ACCCIM for the next three years, said the group, representing some 28,000 Chinese businesses, would continue to voice its views on matters affecting the community.

Lim, the Perak Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry president, is Yee Lee Corporation Bhd group managing director.

He replaced Tan Sri William Cheng, who stepped down as president after helming the group for the last nine years.

In his outgoing speech, Cheng urged the Government to conduct a detailed study on the minimum wage policy before its implementation.

He said hasty implementation of an across-the-board wage policy would result in a negative impact on businesses, including forcing some closures, particularly in small and medium industries.

“ACCCIM does not object to the setting of a minimum wage to protect the welfare of employees. However, the rate should not be set too high and implemented too hastily,” he said.

Cheng said various factors needed to be considered such as economic sectors, location and the size of companies, warning that any wage increase without increase in productivity would not be viable for employers.

Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam had announced that the minimum wage order would be gazetted on July 1 and enforced six months after that for private sector employees.

It was reported that a minimum monthly wage of RM900 is set for private sector employees in the peninsula while those in Sabah and Sarawak will earn at least RM800 a month.

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