An Overview of Activities

It is my pleasure to present to the Annual General Meeting, the Persatuan Ekonomi Malaysia (PEM) Annual Report for the year ended 31 December, 2008.

The PEM had organized again the core activities for the year 2008. On Friday, 28 March, 2008, the PEM organized the Bank Negara Malaysia Governor’s Address at Dewan Berjaya, Bukit Kiara Equestrian & Country Resort, Jalan Bukit Kiara, off Jalan Damansara, 60000 Kuala Lumpur. The Address was delivered by Y.Bhg Dato Ooi Sang Kuang, the Deputy Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia. This event was organized in collaboration with the Persatuan LSE Alumni, Harvard Club of Malaysia, Association of Banks of Malaysia and the Faculty of Economics and Administration (FEA), University of Malaya. This year the response to the event was overwhelming, and was attended by about 180 leading bankers and corporate leaders of the industry, and friends of PEM. PEM would also like to record a word of thanks to Y.Bhg Dato’ Ooi Sang Kuang who has kindly given complimentary copies of the 2007 BNM Annual Reports to all our participants.

The second core event was the highlight of the year. We hosted the Seminar on the Mid-Term Review of the Ninth Malaysia Plan 2006-2010 which was held at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club, off Jalan Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur, on Monday, 30 June, 2008. Y.Bhg. Tan Sri Datuk Dr. Sulaiman Mahbob, Director-General of the Economic Planning Unit, officiated the Opening and gave the presentation by EPU. Four panelists, moderated by Y.Bhg.Tan Sri Dato’ Mohd. Sheriff Mohd. Kassim, the President of PEM, joined the discussion. The Panel Speakers were Mr. Quah Poh Keat, Director of PLUS, Y.Bhg. Datuk Paul Low, Vice-President of FMM, En. Suhaimi Ilias, Chief Economist of ASEAM Bankers and Y.Bhg. Dato’ Dr. Gan Khuan Poh, Immediate Past President of PEM. This was followed by a Luncheon Talk by Y.Bhg. Senator Tan Sri Amirsham Bin A. Aziz. 150 participants from the government, corporate and private business attended this successful seminar.

The third core event was the 2009 Post-Budget Dialogue held at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club, off Jalan Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur, on Saturday, 30 August, 2008. As in previous years, the Post-Budget Panel will pick up issues, strategy and approach tabled by the Minister of Finance. This year, the Discussion Panel was headed by Y.Bhg. Tan Sri Dr. Wan Abdul Aziz bin Wan Abdullah, Secretary-General to the Treasury, Ministry of Finance. Six panelists, chaired by Professor Dr. Norma Mansor, Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Administration, University of Malaya., joined the discussion. The Panel Speakers were Mr. Tai Hui, Regional Head Economic Research, South East Asia, Standard Chartered Bank, Dr. Veerinderjeet Singh, Taxand Malaysia Sdn Bhd., Prof. Dr. Pazim @ Fadzim Othman, Faculty of Economics and Administration, University of Malaya, Y.Bhg Datuk Aziyah Bt. Bahauddin, Under Secretary, Tax Analysis Division, MOF, Y.Bhg Datuk Latifah Bt. Datuk Abu Mansor, Director, Budget Division, MOF and Y.Bhg Datuk Dr. Rahamat Bivi Bt. Yusoff, Under Secretary, Economic and International Division, MOF. This function was jointly organized by the PEM and the Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia Berhad.