Malaysia Up Five Rank In The World Bank Doing Busines Report 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has moved up five notches to 18th place in the World Bank Doing Business Report 2012, ahead of developed economies such as Germany, Japan, Taiwan and Switzerland.

In a statement here Thursday, Chief Secretary to the Government, Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan, said the report came in the wake of concerted efforts and initiatives launched by the government to improve public service delivery.

"The world ranking showed that the reform measures implemented by the government is beginning to show results," he said.

Mohd Sidek, who is also the co-chair of Special Task Force to Facilitate Business (PEMUDAH), said over the last 24 months, various recorded changes had been implemented in public sector agencies to simplify procedures and improve transparency and efficiency.

However, he said, the private sector, on its part, needed to take more determined measures to simplify procedures and reduce unnecessary bureaucracy to improve business efficiency.

"Only when this happens can the broader reform of the government in making a simpler and efficient delivery system in Malaysia be fully realised," he said.

Mohd Sidek said the World Bank Report highlighted the lead Malaysia took in introducing electronic filing in the courts, setting up specialised civil and commercial courts in Kuala Lumpur, and merging company, tax, social security and employment fund registrations at a one-stop centre for business start-ups.

The country was also cited for being one of 24 countries that had set up regulatory reform committees reporting directly to a prime minister or president, he said.

"Among other Asian countries ranked above Malaysia in the report is Singapore which is ranked in the first place, Hong Kong and China shared the second position, South Korea was in eighth place and Thailand 17th," he said.