INTERVIEW | International Trade and Industry Minister Darell Leiking is not too happy with negative news reports on Malaysia's economic performance.
In particular, Leiking questioned the possible motive behind a Bloomberg report, which described the country's stock market as the worst in the world and unattractive to investors.
"I would not discount what Bloomberg has said, but I would like to look at why Malaysia was focused in this way," he said in a recent joint interview in Putrajaya.
"Why is Malaysia their focus? Maybe they want to improve us. Hopefully, that’s the case.
"If they want to improve us, good, but if they want to favour other countries over us, then it is not good. I hope it's about improving us."
Leiking claimed that many of these negative reports about Malaysia are planted and should be filtered out by the media, as it distracts the government from doing its job.
On April 16, Bloomberg said that Malaysia is currently the world's worst performing major market, having slipped 3.6 percent this year.
It also noted that hopes are dimming for global investors to return to Bursa Malaysia.
'Continued investment'
Despite capital flight from the stock market, Leiking said, businesses are still pumping money into the country.
"When it comes to actual investments in Malaysia it continues, it adds on. These are not people buying shares, but these are people creating jobs in our market."
During the interview, Leiking also highlighted that his trade mission to the US last month had secured RM6.6 billion in investment commitments from companies that, he claimed, declined to be named.
The minister lamented that many positive stories about Malaysian successes in business are also not featured in news reports.
Despite initially insisting on the filtering of negative news, Leiking then said that Putrajaya should learn from such reports to improve its handling of the economy.
He also emphasised that it was important for the government to listen to and communicate with the people on the ground.
"Out of the, say, 10 problems that I was presented with, about eight were immediately solved, simply because of communication."
Leiking cited, as an example, rejection letters sent out by his ministry to those applying for contracts and licences, which are accompanied by notes on how the bids can be improved.
He added that all International Trade and Industry Ministry officers have also been tasked to go on a public relations blitz.
"I have asked all our officers... let us spread the news that we are ready to listen to them (the people), to engage with them and try to solve their problems." - Mkini
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