YAB Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak, at the 20th meeting of the Putrajaya Committee on GLC High Performance (“PCG”) today, called on Government-Linked Companies (“GLCs”) to accelerate their transformation for high performance. In his opening address, the Prime Minister expressed his full support to the GLC Transformation Programme and has mandated GLCs to become regional, if not global, champions.

The Prime Minister said, GLCs must be able to compete regionally and globally to support the nation’s growth as the country needs to set a greater pace for development to achieve developed nation status by 2020. In order to obtain the growth rates required to realize the targets, sources of growth beyond domestic markets must be tapped and it requires GLCs to adopt an increasingly international outlook in terms of market penetration and international competitiveness.

The PCG Secretariat updated the Prime Minister that GLCs have shown the resilience required of any regionally or globally competitive company amid the economic downturn. This has allowed GLCs to focus on catalysing growth to support the country. GLCs are also supporting the 6 National Key Results Areas (“NKRAs”) in view of its importance to the country.

The high powered meeting was chaired by the Prime Minister and attended by the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of the Economic Planning Unit, YB Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop; the Second Finance Minister, YB Dato’ Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah; the Chief Secretary to the Government, Tan Sri Mohd Sidek bin Haji Hassan; Deputy Finance Minister I, YB Datuk Chor Chee Heung; Deputy Finance Minister II, YB Senator Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussin; the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Tan Sri Dr Wan Abdul Aziz bin Wan Abdullah; senior Ministry of Finance officials, leaders from the five Government-Linked Investment Companies1 (“GLICs”) and the Chairmen and CEOs of the G-202.

1) GLCs demonstrate resilience during crisis

G-20 total shareholder returns (“TSR”) continue to outperform FBMKLCI by a compounded annual growth rate of 2.4% since the launch of the Programme. In the same period, market capitalisation of the G-20 has also increased by 64% or RM101 billion. Although the G-20 forecast FY2009 aggregate earnings3 of RM9.973 billion is a drop from FY2008 levels due to the economic slowdown, FY2010 earnings are forecasted to rise to RM15.243 billion.

GLCs have proactively taken defensive measures to weather the current global crisis. As a result, gearing levels remain within limits, with the debt-to-equity ratio of non-financial G-20 companies at 48% as at 30 June 2009. Net interest cover also remains stronger than pre-GLC Transformation Programme levels while cash balances remain healthy.

2) GLCs are catalysing growth in the domestic economy

In the first half of 2009 (“1H09”), GLICs and G-20 have made domestic investments of RM13.4 billion. They will hire an estimated 20,559 new employees in 2009 and are targeting to hire another 6,075 in the first quarter of 2010.

GLCs have also heeded the Prime Minister’s call to play a complementary role in developing the private sector through disposing non-core activities, catalysing developments in the domestic eco-system and competing on a level playing field. The G-20 have disposed of RM1.62 billion worth of non-core assets in FY2008. The G-20 efforts also in supporting vendors have resulted in 1,320 vendors participating in vendor development programme in 1H09. 132 vendors have graduated since 2004.

3) GLCs continue to build for the future

GLCs are supporting the 6 NKRAs through various activities. Most notably, they are widening access to affordable and quality education, where the PINTAR4 programme has now adopted 165 schools throughout Malaysia. Under the programme, 3,000 volunteer hours have been contributed to date, benefitting more than 66,000 students. As a result, 9.5% of PINTAR students scored straight ‘A’s in their UPSR exam in 2008, compared to the national average of 9.2%.

In raising the living standards of the poor, GLCs act collectively under the SEJAHTERA programme to support sustainable livelihood and basic food needs, provide basic community services and rehabilitate/build homes for the underprivileged and vulnerable communities. The programme targets to benefit 1,000 households by 2010. For the SEJAHTERA pilot project in Maran, launched on 4 September 2009, RM1.2 million has been contributed in cash and benefits in kind.

GLCs also build capacity through their participation in the Graduate Employability Management Scheme (GEMS) under the PCG, that aims to train and develop graduates with commercially useful skills that will enhance their employment opportunities. To date, 3,367 participants have been trained with 1,137 participants securing placement across 259 organisations and agencies.

End

1 The five GLICs are Khazanah Nasional Berhad, Permodalan Nasional Berhad, Employees Provident Fund, Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera, Lembaga Tabung Haji.
2 G-20 is a selection of approximately 20 larger GLCs controlled by GLIC constituents of the PCG. There are currently 19 GLCs following the Sime Darby merger and TM demerger. UEM Group has replaced UEM World following UEM’s restructuring exercise. UEM Group’s TSR is computed by using their listed subsidiaries’ values as proxy.
3 Based on analyst consensus estimates.
4 PINTAR (Promoting Intelligence, Nurturing Talent and Advocating Responsibility) is a programme initiated by PCG. Under the programme, GLCs adopt schools to provide support in terms of access to motivational and team building activities, tuition classes, teacher capability building and education on social issues.