PETALING JAYA: Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Tan Sri William Cheng proposed that manufacturers and producers consider switching to a four-day work-week to enable workers to save on travel expenses.
He suggested that the working hours be increased to 12 aday to compensate for the shorter work week.
Currently, factory hands work either five or six days a week.
According to reports in the Chinese press today,, Cheng said he has already introduced the four-day work-week in his factories, and his workers are saving on transport and toll charges because they are making fewer trips a week.
He said the government is right in calling for the people to change their lifestyles but it must also be prudent with its expenses.
He suggested the government scrap extravagant projects and cancel non-essential overseas study tours for government servants.
"The government should show by example in the austerity drive, in order to gain the confidence of the people," he said when chairing the annual general meeting of the chamber.
Cheng is also the president of the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia.
He pointed out that fuel prices had gone up recently and the power tariff is going to go up next month.
He estimated that the tariff rise will result in a 26% increase in expenses for the Malaysian industry, a 5% rise in the inflation rate this year and the economic growth to drop to 5%.
On the impending hike in electricity tariff, Cheng opined that Malaysia should emulate some foreign countries where the commercial rate is lower than domestic rate, and that the rates are inversely proportionate to consumption (i.e. the more power is consumed the cheaper the rates).
"I have already proposed to the government to differentiate and charge according to usage made between peak hours and non-peak hours to reduce production costs.
"As for natural gas for commercial use, the hike in price should not exceed 40% lest our competitive edge will be greatly reduced," he added.
Kong See Hoh
Sun Online
16/06/08
PEOPLE'S POWER
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