PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Utama Anwar Ibrahim has called on states to double their efforts to expedite the ease of conducting business in Malaysia so it can regain its competitiveness in an ever-challenging global economy.
Anwar said that the ease of doing business is a major indicator of the country's competitive level and it will restore the credibility of pulling in investors.
Alluding to the recent report which indicated that Malaysia's global competitiveness level has fallen compared to neighbours such as Indonesia and Thailand, the Tambun MP, said the public sector has a key role in regaining the edge in doing business.
He reiterated the importance of fast-tracking approval for the various projects under planning, stressing that the old ways of approval simply no longer work.
It has to be reformed to meet the current expectations of investors, he stressed.
"We need to reform the way we handle the approval of projects. We need to hasten our processes so it no longer takes years to sort out for example approval for land to set up the businesses," said Anwar when launching the RM245 million cable car system for Penang Hill - one of the iconic tourism landmarks in the region here.
Acknowledging the concerns raised by civil society over the project, Anwar spoke of the importance of ensuring that all projects are environmentally friendly while retaining their strong cultural disposition, especially in Penang, which is historically culturally rich.
As a hometown boy of Penang, Anwar said that he has been up the hill on a few occasions and he marvels at the sheer beauty of the hill and the island.
Hence, such landmarks must be preserved, he said.
Anwar also touched on fast-tracking the proposed expansion of the Penang International Airport in Bayan Lepas and the light rail transit (LRT) system, which connects the island with Butterworth on the mainland.
Anwar also urged the planners to preserve the trekking routes of the hill and its rich cultural history.
The cable car begins from the Botanical Gardens before reaching the peak of the hill in about a 10-minute journey with the cable car length measured at 2.73 km.
It uses Austrian tech, similar to the one currently operating in Langkawi, using a monocable detachable gondola.
There would be three stations - the garden one at the Botanical, a turning loop and at the top of Penang Hill with the target date of completion slated by 2026.
A total of 15 towers would be erected by using helicopters to install the structures.
Meanwhile, speaking at the “Reminiscing Karpal” event later at The Top in Komtar, Anwar said the late Datuk Seri Utama Karpal Singh was a man of extraordinary character, who was also unrivalled in politics.
Anwar has vowed that the national unity government will uphold and defend the rights of every Malaysian similar to what Karpal would have done if he was alive.
He reaffirmed his commitment to continuing Karpal’s legacy of fighting racism, religious bigotry and corruption.
This year is the 10th anniversary of Karpal's tragic death in a road accident along the North-South Expressway in Perak.
Although left a cripple, Karpal continued his fight as a DAP chairperson and elected representative, while also cementing his legacy as a fierce defender of those prosecuted, including Anwar.
Later, Karpal's second eldest son Gobind Singh Deo, who is the Digital Minister, said that Pakatan Harapan ministers are reformists at heart and will continue the struggle.
His brother - Jagdeep Singh Deo recalled how the late Karpal was in his element in court, and always worked hard to fight corruption and malpractices'. - June 29, 2024.
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