Accra:Corporate Malaysia is encouraged to seize the opportunities presented by Budget 2027 to enhance investment, boost productivity, and develop more sustainable and competitive businesses, as stated by CGS International Securities Malaysia Sdn Bhd (CGS MY).
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the fifth MADANI Budget arrives amidst challenging external conditions, including conflicts in West Asia, energy and shipping disruptions, trade tensions, and increasing climate risks affecting food and supply chains.
CGS MY's chief executive officer, Khairi Shahrin Arief Baki, emphasized that Budget 2027 equips businesses with tools to invest in technology, skills, sustainability, and productive capacity. He noted that while the government can establish conditions and remove barriers, the transformation into stronger businesses and better jobs ultimately depends on the companies themselves.
On the subject of wages and workforce development, Khairi highlighted that a higher wage floor should not simply be seen as an increased business cost. Instead, it reflects the unsustainability of a low-wage, low-productivity model. He advocated for investments in skills, technology, automation, and job design to ensure that higher wages are accompanied by increased productivity.
Khairi further noted that the same principles apply to sustainability, with policies promoting green investment incentives and carbon pricing. He suggested that companies adopting these measures early could manage the transition's pace and costs more effectively. Public investments in sectors such as transport, water, digital connectivity, housing, and industrial infrastructure are expected to broaden investment opportunities throughout Malaysia.
CGS MY country head Alan Inn remarked that global volatility underlines the importance for companies to diversify their revenue streams. He pointed out that resilience requires more than a robust balance sheet, emphasizing that reliance on a single market, supply chain, or competitive advantage makes a company vulnerable to changing conditions.
Inn also mentioned that access to domestic and international investors would enable Malaysian businesses to finance regional expansion, acquisitions, and technology investments to compete on a broader scale.