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KUALA LUMPUR: The public listed companies (PLCs) transformation programme by Bursa Malaysia aims to support their financial performance to benefit all stakeholders of the economy.

Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz said this is needed in view of the current volatile global environment.

“For corporate Malaysia in particular, there is an urgent need to address diminishing corporate performance and strengthen its growth and resilience premised on environmental, social, and governance goals as well as the United Nation’s sustainable development goals,” Tengku Zafrul said at the launch of the PLC Transformation Programme yesterday.

“Most PLCs are major drivers of our economy,” he added.

There are over 950 diversified companies across numerous economic sectors that are listed on Bursa Malaysia.

“Transforming these companies will be vital in the long-term agenda of recovery and reform which, in turn, will benefit many, directly and indirectly,” he said.

For Government-linked Investment Companies (GLICs), more resilient PLCs will perform better and provide higher returns to benefit the people.

“Many GLICs, facilitating the retirement savings of 16 million Malaysians, are also investors in PLCs on Bursa Malaysia. As such, performance-driven PLCs are vital to ensuring the sufficiency of their members’ savings for retirement.

“Stronger PLCs will also support employment. Currently, an estimated 1.1 million people are directly employed by PLCs in Malaysia, with millions more employed in the PLCs’ subsidiaries and supply chains,” said Tengku Zafrul.

PLCs will also contribute to the growth of the small and medium enterprises and companies in their supply chains.

Khazanah Nasional, the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and Kumpulan Wang Persaraan (Diperbadankan) or KWAP are committed to participating in the PLC Transformation Programme.

Telekom Malaysia Bhd, Sime Darby Bhd, Hong Leong Financial Group Bhd, IHH Healthcare Bhd and Petronas Dagangan Bhd are also participants.

EPF chief executive officer (CEO) Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan said in a statement: “The EPF is very supportive of the PLC Transformation Programme. With Bursa Malaysia taking the lead to spearhead this programme, I am positive that the PLCs’ performance will improve. This will be good for the EPF, as well as for corporate Malaysia.”

KWAP CEO Nik Amlizan Mohamed said: “We strongly encourage all PLCs to participate in the programme and embrace the five pillars that are expected to be a catalyst for growth and performance. The programme essentially provides the building blocks for companies to raise the bar to attract wider investor interest and confidence,” she said in a statement.

According to Bursa Malaysia, the objective of the PLC Transformation Programme is to help raise the stature of corporate Malaysia and increase the attractiveness of PLCs in the country.

The programme will run through to 2025 and is aimed at steering all PLCs towards accelerating their growth strategies and improving performance.

“The programme will help PLCs achieve higher levels of performance through the sharing of best practices and insights, enhanced engagement and greater transparency practices,” it added.

There are digital guidebooks to be issued under the programme to enable the PLCs to be purpose and performance-driven, grow as sustainable, socially-responsible and ethical organisations.

They will also have strengthened stakeholder management and investor relations, be digitally-enabled and contribute to nation-building.

Source: https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2022/03/03/enhancing-the-performance-of-plcs