Ensure policies are implemented

12/11/2007 The Star

IT IS surely heartening to note the efforts taken by the Government to transform the economy through various long-term plans and strategies, such as the Iskandar Development Region (IDR) and the recently-launched economic corridor regions.

The successes of these long-term plans and strategies are dependent on both the efforts of the rakyat and on the ability of the nation to attract the much-needed foreign direct investments (FDI) for the various industries as envisaged under the respective corridors.

To this end, one of the action plans contained in the Economic Report 2008, “Making It Investor-Friendly,” (The Star, Sept 8), is the clarity in policies and procedures so as to create a conducive environment for investors.

While Government efforts are to be lauded, it is disheartening to note that many of the “little Napoleons” in the various Government departments do not share the Government’s vision.

Let me share my experience.

A foreign investor acquired a condominium without strata title from me in early August for himself as he was planning to invest in the country.

Under the current state government policies, all applications for acquisition of property in Selangor by foreigners must be submitted to the Selangor Land and Mines Office.

The application was submitted to and received on Aug 28. The status of the application would normally be known within two months from the date of submission, but since no reply was forthcoming, the foreigner's solicitors made an enquiry at the end of October with the said government department.

The department informed the solicitors that the application was being kept in abeyance until the outcome of their meeting with the Hulu Langat Land Office as to which party the application should be submitted to since the strata title to the condominium had yet to be issued.

After a lapse of two months, the solicitors were instructed by the department to re-submit a fresh application to the Hulu Langat Land Office for their consideration.

To make matters worse, the decision made at the meeting was not made known to the legal fraternity that played a pivotal role in securing the much-needed FDIs.

The above incident has left the foreign investor and myself disillusioned that government departments are unable to make decisions on matters requiring simple answers.

It goes to show that the Government must not only implement clear investor-friendly policies and procedures, but also ensure that the policies and procedures are implemented efficiently.

It is only then that the policies and procedures would be effective.

Everyone when implementing changes should adopt the following guidelines:

> SET specific date/timeline for the implementation of any policy, procedure or change;

> APPLY existing treatment before any new policy or procedure takes effect; and

> EFFECTIVELY communicate the change to all affected by it.


DISILLUSIONED AND STILL WAITING,
Kuala Lumpur.