PUTRAJAYA has agreed to remove the export permit issued by the Malaysian Quarantine Inspection Services (Maqis) for 524 items in the processed food and floriculture industries.

Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) director-general Abdul Latif Abu Seman said the decision to get rid of procedures inconsistent with the Customs (Prohibition of Export) Order 2017 was made at an Economic Action Council meeting chaired by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

“These procedures are not required by the importing countries, and businesses have unnecessarily incurred costs of RM2.4 million and 60,000 hours a year in the course of doing business,” he said in a statement yesterday.

He said removing unnecessary regulatory burden on businesses is part of the #MyMudah initiative launched on July 20.

The programme sees MPC collecting feedback from businesses, and one of the issues raised is the unnecessary requirements imposed on exports.

Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers vice-president Andy Seo Kian How, who also co-chairs the Special Task Force to Facilitate Business (Pemudah), welcomed Putrajaya’s decision.

“Through #MyMudah, MPC and Pemudah are committed to finding ways to make it easier to do business in Malaysia and remove barriers to business growth.

“By working closely and constructively with the government, we are able to provide feedback on regulations that can be simplified, modernised and streamlined.” – Bernama, August 8, 2020.