KUALA LUMPUR: Trade chambers and industry associations have declared "full support" for the government's decision to allow most economic sectors and business activities to resume operations from last Monday.
In a joint statement today, presidents and chairmen representing 59 chambers of commerce and industry associations, shared the conviction that the move is critical for business operations to return to normalcy.
Towards that end, they urge all state governments to collectively execute the federal government's decision and restart the economy together, given the close interlinking of supply chains among states.
"We declare our full support for the federal government's decision and the media release, dated May 4 by Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, Minister of International Trade and Industry, to allow a majority of the economic sector and business activities to resume operations on May 4, 2020 under the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO)," they said.
"We, as leaders of the major chambers of commerce and industry associations in Malaysia, are also committed to ensuring strict adherence to the established standard operating procedures by employers who are overall responsible for the health and wellbeing of their employees."
They believe that the decision taken by the government was made based on sound data and considerations to strike a balance between public and economic health.
"The decision was made to prevent the economy from further collapse as companies can no longer afford to remain closed while they continue to have financial obligations to meet, especially salaries, and continue to provide employment for their workers, which translate into safeguarding the livelihood of the rakyat," they said.
The trade bodies and associations include the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia, Association of Marine Industries of Malaysia, Building Materials Distributors Association of Malaysia, Bumiputera Retailers Associations, Malaysia Retailers Association, Malaysia Rubber Products Manufacturers' Association, Malaysia Steel Association, and the Malaysian Automotive Association.
Others include the Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Malaysian Iron and Steel Industry Federation, Malaysian Oil and Gas Services Council, Real Estate & Housing Developers' Association, SME Association of Malaysia and the Japanese Chamber of Trade and Industry Malaysia.