KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia can no longer afford to be left behind and must embark on the path of creativity and competitiveness to be on a par with its Asean counterparts.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said his recent trip to Thailand had given him insight into how forward-thinking the neighbouring country was.
"I just returned from Bangkok last night. They have overcome issues such as digitalisation, electric vehicles and transportation.
"These are the fields we cannot lag behind. We have indeed lost to Singapore, Vietnam and Indonesia. This is why the ease of doing business must also be facilitated.
"I have told International Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz and the related ministries to introduce a new method and I want to see clear changes in the next few weeks," he said today when launching the Social Security Organisation's (Perkeso) Housewife Social Security Scheme (SKSSR) and MyFutureJobs2023 career carnival here.
Present were Human Resources Minister V. Sivakumar and Perkeso chief executive officer Datuk Seri Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed.
Anwar said the country must discard old ways of working and explore new methods inline with the changing global scenario.
Malaysia, he said, was not spared from the effects of various global crises, such as the Ukraine-Russia war, the massive earthquake in Turkey and Syria, civil wars, terrorist attacks, the tensions between United State and China and the Covid-19 pandemic.
"When facing a crisis, everyone needs to accept the reality but if our working method is still the same as 10 to 20 years ago, then it is impossible for us to implement change.
"It presents us an opportunity to be creative and bring in new working ways. The country's dignity cannot be upheld if corruption and using political positions used to enrich oneself continue.
"I do not care if there are cynical views or attacks against me. I want to save the country and make Malaysia a great nation in the region," said Anwar.
Anwar urged husbands to contribute to the SKSSR for their stay-at-home wives, whose roles in families must be appreciated.
SKSSR, provided under the Housewives Social Security Act 2022 (Act 838), protects housewives against domestic accidents or other incidents in the course of performing their household duties.
It began on Dec 1 last year and SKSSR made Malaysia the first country in the region and the fourth in the world to introduce a social protection scheme for housewives.
Anwar said husbands should not "stinge" when it comes to contributing to SKSSR for their wives as it did not involve a huge amount.
"Our view must change and we should recognise them as the pillar of the family, apart from the husband or father," he added.
Earlier, Sivakumar said from Dec 1 last year to Jan 31, a total of 141,144 housewives have contributed to SKSSR.
Up to 135,281 housewives are registered with e-Kasih and contributors of the Employees Provident Fund's i-Suri scheme, he added.
"Their contribution to SKSSR is sponsored by the government for a year under the 2022 Budget allocation.
"We aim to have 500,000 contributors this year," he said.
Sivakumar said all housewives under 55 who are managing their household full-time or part-time, married or single, are eligible to take part in SKSSR.
"With only RM120 contributed for 12 months in advance, housewives will be protected under SKSSR which provides benefits such as permanent disability, medical and rehabilitation and dialysis," he said.
As for MyFutureJobs, Sivakumar said as of Dec 31 last year, of 879,601 jobseekers have registered with the portal.
Of the number, 294,044 had secured jobs.