Anwar wants GLCs to help struggling staff

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim today requested a plan from government-linked companies (GLCs) on how they aim to help their staff who are low-income earners.

Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said the plan must be presented to him in a month.

According to him, the plan should include investments, bumiputera issues, as well as workers' housing and education.

“I asked about their unsolved problems, for example, the hardcore poor families under Tenaga (Nasional Berhad) or Telekom (Malaysia Berhad).

“Is this a problem for the Rural and Regional Development Ministry or the companies’ problem? Of course, it is the companies’ problem,” he said in his monthly address to the Finance Ministry in Putrajaya this morning.

Anwar said he felt it was unreasonable for GLCs to record high profits but burden the government when it pertains to its struggling staff.

“If the company has 15,000 workers, then 5,000 don’t have their own houses. Is it not possible that we think of a plan to build houses for our own workers?” he said.

He also gave the example of GLC workers whose children are unable to afford university fees and have to take on student loans in order to further their studies.

“I want there to be clear planning,” he said.

At the same time, he asked GLCs and government-linked investment companies to scale back on international investments and to instead increase domestic investments.

“I have given instructions that there should also be an emphasis on reducing international investments because if the reason is (domestic investments are) not attractive, then what is the reasoning for us to hold a campaign to attract foreign investors to Malaysia?” he said.

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