Survey: Attractive salary, benefits top factor for Malaysian job seekers
A recent survey found that 72% of Malaysian respondents ranked “attractive salary and benefits” as the most important employee value proposition (EVP) they seek in an ideal employer. “Work-life balance” came in second at 69%, while the following three top EVP were “strong management” (64%), “Covid-19 safe work environment” (63%), and “financially healthy” (62%) — according to the 2021 Employer Brand Research by Ranstad Malaysia. “The issue of unmatched salary expectation is not new, yet it’s the most complex to resolve. Employers need to conduct regular audits to ensure salary equality and competitiveness,” said Fahad Naeem, Randstad Malaysia’s head of operations. The study also recorded “work-life balance” as having the most disparity between what employees seek, and what employers are perceived to offer. More women (73%) were found to value work-life balance in their search for an ideal employer, while millennials (28%) were the most likely to switch employers in 2021. These were the results collected from 2,523 Malaysian respondents surveyed in January 2021. (Malay Mail)
CITF: Nearly 200,000 vaccinations yesterday, nearly five million Covid-19 doses given so far
Health workers administered 197,963 Covid-19 vaccine doses yesterday, pushing the total number of vaccinations in Malaysia close to five million. According to the statistics from the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) on Twitter, of yesterday’s numbers 142,890 received their first vaccine dose, while 55,073 received their second dose. In total, 4,688,233 doses have been administered in Malaysia as of June 14. The highest number of vaccinations by state or territory was in Kuala Lumpur, followed by Selangor and Sarawak. CITF’s statistics have also revealed approximately 13,811,642 cumulative total registrations for the Covid-19 vaccination programme, as of yesterday. This brings the programme’s national progress to 59% of the total number of people in Malaysia. (Malay Mail)
Penang to build its own affordable housing project in Bayan Baru
The Penang state housing board will be building its first affordable housing project in Bayan Baru which is scheduled for completion in 2025. Housing, local government and town and country planning committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said a total 1,267 affordable units will be built at the site in Bukit Gedung. “There will be a total 253 low medium-cost units and 1,014 affordable housing units,” he said. Other than the affordable housing component, there will also be 21 units of a three-storey commercial block. The development will be located on a plot land in Bukit Gedung measuring 7.6 acres (3 hectares). Jagdeep said the project will be equipped with facilities such as a swimming pool, a jacuzzi, a children’s playground, a gymnasium and a study room. “This is the very first project under the state housing board and we want to realise this project as soon as possible,” he said. The project is expected to begin next year and it will take about three years to be fully completed, by 2025. (Malay Mail)
CapitaLand REIT gets nod to expand beyond non-retail investments
Unitholders of CapitaLand Malaysia Mall Trust (CMMT) have voted in favour of the real estate investment trust’s (REIT) proposal to expand its asset classes to include business parks, logistics facilities, warehouses, distribution centres, data centres and integrated developments. Low Peck Chen, CEO of CapitaLand Malaysia Mall Trust REIT Management Sdn Bhd (CMRM), said the accorded flexibility will enable the REIT to invest in a comprehensive range of income producing assets, diversify CMMT’s revenue stream and build a sector-diversified portfolio. CMRM is a joint venture between Singapore-listed CapitaLand Ltd and Malaysian Industrial Development Finance Bhd. Upon obtaining the necessary regulatory approvals, the investment mandate expansion is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2021. CMMT is currently a shopping mall-focused REIT, with a portfolio of five shopping malls and a complementary office block including Gurney Plaza in Penang, Sungei Wang Plaza in Kuala Lumpur, 3 Damansara Office Tower in Petaling Jaya, Selangor and East Coast Mall in Kuantan, Pahang. Its total asset value stood at RM4 billion as at March 31, 2021. (The Edge)
Covid-19 test prices capped under Emergency Ordinance
The price of Covid-19 tests has been capped to ensure that it remains reasonable while the battle against the pandemic rages on, says Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba. He said the capped prices were gazetted under the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2021 on May 11 to serve as a guideline for the public when paying for such tests. He advised people who believed that they had been overcharged for Covid-19 tests by laboratories and hospitals to lodge complaints with the Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre (CPRC). “If the price is more than what has been set, those responsible will have to itemise what the additional charges are for,” he said. The government has set the ceiling price for polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests at RM150, RTK-Antigen tests at RM60 and RTK-Antibody tests at RM50 in Peninsular Malaysia. The ceiling price for RT-PCR tests in Sabah and Sarawak is RM200, RTK-Antigen tests (RM80) and RTK-Antibody tests (RM70). (The Star)
