Most members of the Chinese business community have a bleak view of the country's economic outlook in 2016 and 2017, according to a survey by the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM).

This is despite assurances from the government that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is able to steer the country through challenging economic times.

“For the year 2016, it is noted that some 76.1 percent of the respondents expressed that they were either pessimistic (19.1 percent) or somewhat pessimistic (57 percent),” said the report, which was released today.