Standard Chartered Malaysia welcomes the government’s targeted measures as spelt out in the Budget 2019 to enhance the well-being of the rakyat, particularly the lower income group. 

Abrar A. Anwar, Managing Director and CEO, of Standard Chartered Malaysia, says Budget 2019 reflects significant strategies and initiatives to address the need of the rakyat, especially those in the Bottom-40.

Despite uncertainties in the global economy, the Pakatan Harapan Government expects GDP to grow 4.9% in 2019, according to Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng during his Budget 2019 speech just now.

For this year, real GDP is forecast to expand 4.8%, after it grew by 4.9% in the January-June period.

THE government, in the latest Economic Report, forecasts its fiscal deficit to decline to 3.4% in 2019 from 3.7% this year underpinned by much higher revenue collection, especially from investment income.

In the report, published in conjunction with the tabling of Budget 2019 by Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng, it said federal government revenue was expected to increase by 10.7% to RM261.81 billion from RM235.45 billion this year.

Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng is now tabling the 2019 Budget, the first for the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government, in the Dewan Rakyat.

In his opening remarks, Lim said the government's real debt and liability as at June 2018 was at RM1,065 billion, which is RM350 billion higher than the amount by the previous Government.

He also revealed that Government has also found out that the previous administration secretly paid RM7 billion of 1MDB debt, as at April 30, 2018.

Timberland, known for its iconic yellow boot, announced partnership with British designer Christopher Raeburn, who will serve as Global Creative Director for the brand.

 Raeburn, whose label of the same name is synonymous with responsible, intelligent fashion design, will be a key stakeholder in developing Timberland’s global creative vision.

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM) introduces the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class, their most successful model series and is now in its fifth year of production.

The new C-Class features the latest Mercedes-Benz driving assistance systems offering the driver cooperative support, and therefore provides a higher level of active safety than its predecessor.

PETRONAS through its subsidiary, PETRONAS LNG Ltd. (PLL), achieved a milestone with the successful completion of its first Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) supply operation at the Regasification Terminal Pengerang (RGTP).

This follows the agreement between PLL and Uranos Vermögensverwaltungs GmbH & Co. KG, a joint venture company of Bernhard Schulte and Babcock International.

Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad yesterday launched the National Policy on Industry 4.0 known as Industry4WRD -- a four-pronged strategy to boost Malaysia’s manufacturing sector via higher productivity, contribution, innovation and more high-skilled workers.

Sunway Group scores hat-trick for the second time in 2018 as Sunway Property and Sunway University won Gold for the Award’s property and education categories respectively while Sunway Lagoon took home Bronze in the entertainment category.

Earlier in September, Sunway also bagged three wins at the Aon Best Employers Awards with Sunway Building Materials Group, Sunway Hotel Georgetown and Sunway Shared Services.

AMMB Holdings Berhad group chief executive officer and Ambank (M) Berhad Datuk Sulaiman Mohd Tahir revealed his optimism that sound policies and rational initiatives will be the staple for the upcoming Budget 2019.

He added, this will set the framework for more progress and strengthening of the Malaysian economy for us to punch above other nations in this highly globalised and dynamic ecosystem.