MEF hopes MPN includes private employers' views

In a statement today, president Datuk Dr Syed Hussain Syed Husman said the MEF, being the largest private sector employer representative in Malaysia, is looking forward to being engaged by the MPN as employer stakeholders in charting Malaysia's way forward towards full recovery.

He said the setting up of the MPN public portal would also be a useful reference for employers and the public on the status of the National Recovery Plan (NRP), as well as the latest Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that had caused much confusion in the past.

NRP Coordinating Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said in a statement on July 23 that the MPN had agreed to invite representatives from the opposition parties, Sabah and Sarawak state governments and experts from various industries to join the council.

Tengku Zafrul, who is also the Finance Minister, said the MPN would provide information on aspects of the NRP to the people in a transparent and straightforward manner via the official NRP portal, which was launched yesterday.

Meanwhile, on the government's "no turning back" policy with regards to the NRP, Syed Hussain said that the government had assured employers that they would not return to the lockdown in the future -- a positive step for the people and the economy, while simultaneously avoiding confusion and further setbacks.

He said the MEF is also looking forward to the 12th Malaysia Plan and Budget 2022 to put Malaysia back on track in terms of growth.

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin told the Dewan Rakyat yesterday that the government anticipated that most states would move into Phase Four or the final phase of the NRP by October at the earliest.

He said states which are already in Phase Two of the NRP will not return to Phase One, and the states which have moved into Phase Three will not regress into Phase Two as the NRP approach emphasises on exit strategy and "no turning back".