Press Releases for 2009

 

2009

23/10/2009 Budget 2010 – Setting the Tone for Change

It may be a subdued budget at first glance, but it plants the seeds of change in its policy making. After the announcement of the recent heavy stimulus package, the annual Budget 2010 is no doubt a challenging one to the policymakers as structural changes are needed to cater for the largest budget deficit since 1987.

29/04/2009 Women hold a quarter of senior management positions in MLEs

New research from Grant Thornton International reveals that Malaysia ranked fifth globally for senior positions held by women with 31% compared to the global average of 24%. The percentage of women in senior management of business has increased as much as +8% from 23% in the year of 2007. A total of 39% of businesses in Malaysia have three or more women holding senior positions.

18/03/2009 No pay rises at a quarter of MLEs - globally

Employees at nearly a quarter of Medium and Large Enterprises (MLEs) around the world could be worse off in the year ahead. Research from the Grant Thornton International Business Report reveals that 21% of businesses plan to offer no pay rise in 2009 while 3% of businesses actually expect to reduce pay.

10/03/2009 Stimulus budget brief commentary

The economy is growing at a slower pace now. As the Government has promised to fulfill its mission, providing short-medium proposals to heal the country’s fiscal condition, a number of tax incentives have been introduced in the current stimulus package in order to face the economy crisis currently in progress.

20/02/2009 Shortage of orders hits growth – need for effective stimulus

Malaysian business growth is suffering from reduced demand, with 58% of businesses reporting it as a major constraint. In fact, 49% of Medium and Large Enterprises (MLEs) globally rank it as a constraint on expansion a rise from 31% in 2008. 25 of the 36 economies surveyed in the Grant Thornton International Business Report (IBR) placed reduced demand at the top of the league of business constraints.

05/01/2009 Slump in Optimism amongst MLEs but also pockets of hope

Optimism amongst Medium to Large Enterprise (MLEs) around the world has slumped by 56% in the last 12 months and pushed the Grant Thornton International optimism/pessimism barometer to a record negative balance of -16% compared to +40% this time last year