The Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MICCI) Southern Branch held its Annual Lunar New Year luncheon with Guest of Honour Lee Ting Han, the State Executive Councillor of the State of Johor and also the Chairman of its Trade Investment and Consumer Affairs representing the Johor Menteri Besar, Datuk Onn Hafiz bin Ghazi.
The luncheon was also attended by other dignitaries namely Jeevan Singh, the Consul General of the Consulate-General of the Republic of Singapore, Pak Sigit S. Widiyanto, Consul-General of the Consulate-General of the Republic of Indonesia, Senior Assistant Commissioner Chuah Yong Huat, Head of Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department, Johor Contingent Police Headquarters, Muzlan bin Ahmad, Deputy Director of Customs, Royal Malaysia Customs Department of Johor, Amirul Azman Ahmad, Director of Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) Southern, Low Mei Leong, Head of Economic Prosperity, Iskandar Regional Development Authority, Kong Weng Keong, President of the Johor Master Builders Association, Christina Tee, MICCI National President, Lee Ting Kiat, MICCI Southern Branch Chairman, Shaun Edward Cheah, MICCI Executive Director, representatives from Invest Johor and Bank Negara Malaysia, MICCI General Committee and Branch Executive Committee Members.
Lee Ting Kiat, the MICCI’s Southern Branch Chairman, expressed his gratitude to the Johor state government agencies, particularly the Johor Menteri Besar, Dato Onn Hafiz Ghazi, for his message (amanat) delivered last year on 14 June 2022, which gave a clear direction to the public sector to address the ills of bureaucracy and red tape, urging the heads of state and federal departments to go to the ground more often to recognise for themselves the problems faced by the public.
Lee emphasised the importance of reducing red tape and simplifying documentation to facilitate business operations. He also stated that MICCI is willing to facilitate a discussion between its members, relevant stakeholders, and government departments concerned in order to find common ground on these issues in its efforts to encourage foreign and domestic direct investments.
In his keynote address, Lee emphasised Johor’s commitment to creating an investor-friendly environment in order to attract quality investors, and he praised MICCI’s involvement in the state’s economic development.
Christina Tee, MICCI’s National President, thanked government agencies and banks for their assistance in assisting businesses in overcoming challenges during the pandemic. She also shared her personal journey in building her company, Cape EMS Berhad, from its inception to its impending listing on the Bursa Securities Main Board.
MICCI and the Johor Master Builders Association also signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the luncheon, which was witnessed by Lee Ting Han.
The event was also attended by over 200 guests comprising members of MICCI, government’s, statutory bodies’ and business chambers’ representatives and business associates who also took the opportunity to network and exchange ideas.
