Latest news with #business impact
Free Malaysia Today
7 days ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Groups warn of productivity losses from Sept 15 additional public holiday
The Malaysian Employers Federation said while it appreciates national celebrations and commemorations, such observances must be balanced with economic realities and the long-term competitiveness of Malaysian businesses. PETALING JAYA : An employers' group and a business association have expressed concern over the impact the additional public holiday on Sept 15 may have on business operations. In a televised address today, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that Sept 15 would be designated as an additional public holiday in conjunction with Malaysia Day. In a statement to FMT, the Malaysian Employers Federation said the extra public holiday warrants careful reconsideration because of its financial and operational impact as such holidays disrupt production schedules, logistics chains, and service continuity. 'This disruption results in lower output, delays in fulfilling delivery commitments, increased costs from rescheduling or deferring operations, and reduced overall productivity, especially for SMEs already operating on tight margins,' MEF said. It also said additional public holidays translate to increased wage bills, with preliminary estimates suggesting that each extra holiday could cost Malaysian employers over RM1 billion collectively. MEF said the practice of declaring ad hoc public holidays, often without broad stakeholder consultation, may affect Malaysia's image as a predictable and business-friendly destination. Noting that investors seek clarity and certainty in policymaking, it warned that repeated instances of surprise public holidays risk undermining investor confidence, particularly among foreign investors. 'While MEF appreciates national celebrations and commemorations, such observances must be balanced with economic realities and the long-term competitiveness of Malaysian businesses,' it said. In a separate statement, Small and Medium Enterprises Association (Samenta) president William Ng said that while he appreciates the symbolic importance of celebrating Malaysia Day, additional public holidays, especially those announced on short notice, can be disruptive for SMEs. He said the added holiday would increase costs for SMEs in terms of lost productivity, overtime pay, and delivery delays. 'We urge the government to conduct impact assessments before declaring unscheduled holidays,' he said. Ng also welcomed the encouraging economic indicators shared by Anwar in his address, particularly stronger GDP growth, improved global competitiveness rankings, and a more stable ringgit. 'However, we urge the government to ensure that the benefits of this growth are meaningfully felt by the SME sector, which continues to face persistent challenges in accessing financing, addressing labour shortages, and adapting to rising operational costs,' he said. He also called for greater support to help SMEs manage cost pressures, particularly through wage subsidies, targeted tax relief, and automation grants. Earlier today, human resources minister Steven Sim said employers must comply with the declaration of the additional public holiday in conjunction with the Malaysia Day celebration. Bernama reported him as saying employers could observe the additional public holiday and pay regular salaries, or instruct their employees to work and pay them according to the public holiday rates. 'Employers can also opt to give a replacement holiday on another day if their employees are required to work on that public holiday,' he said.
Zawya
18-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Helm ranked among top solutions providers in sub-Saharan Africa
Intelligent customer experience company Helm has been recognised as the second-ranked Solutions Provider in sub-Saharan Africa in the latest SMARTIES Business Impact Index (BII), released in July 2025. This is a prestigious global ranking that identifies companies delivering the most significant real-world business results. Compiled annually by the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA), the BII recognises outstanding performance across all Smarties Awards competitions, factoring in both award level and market competitiveness. Helm's strong 2023 awards performance and continued focus on innovative, mobile-first marketing solutions secured its spot among the top agencies in the region last week. 'Being ranked among the top providers in sub-Saharan Africa is a badge we wear proudly,' says Stef Adonis, head of marketing at Helm. 'The results we've delivered on home soil are being recognised across the continent and beyond, showing that South African customer experience solutions are up there with the best. This ranking also reinforces our belief that solutions should be measured by real business impact.' The Smarties Awards are globally respected for showcasing data-driven creativity and mobile-first innovation. The programme is the first South African awards platform to contribute to global benchmarks like the WARC Media 100 and RECMA. This means that all Smarties winners now help shape global rankings of the world's most effective marketing efforts. In 2023 (the period in which the recent index was measured), Helm brought home an impressive collection of gold, silver and bronze awards across both local and regional Smarties programmes. These wins, and the strategic thinking and creative craft behind them, played a key role in securing the BII ranking and reflect Helm's continued focus on delivering bold, effective work in a fast-changing market environment. All rights reserved. © 2022. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
