Malaysia to open up for tourism and travel from 1 April Malaysia is to reopen its borders for international travel on 1 April, offering a significant boost to the country’s hospitality and ‘severely affected’ tourism businesses. Announcing the date, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said visitors to the country who are fully vaccinated will not […]
China sets lowest GDP growth target in more 30 years China’s government has set its lowest economic growth target in more than three decades for 2022, reflecting how stringent Covid-19 controls and increased global risks will continue to hamper demand from both businesses and consumers. Beijing will target GDP growth of around 5.5% this year, […]
Three-quarters of UAE workers expect pay rise in 2022 While a whopping 72% of UAE’s professionals are expecting a salary hike this year, less than a third of employers (28%) are planning to improve existing remuneration packages, a new survey has found. This disparity means many workers say they will be looking for a […]
Malaysian govt is looking to hike the minimum wage Malaysia is considering raising the country’s minimum wage to encourage a better take-up of the many job opportunities created by the government. Human Resources Minister Saravanan Murugan said that despite the job-creating initiatives it has been “challenging for the ministry to convince employers to offer attractive […]
India signs new trade pact with United Arab Emirates India has signed a new trade deal with the UAE that is expected to boost non-oil trade between the two countries from the current $60 billion to $100 billion in five years. India’s Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal, called the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement […]
Economic growth and the post-Covid bounce back. It’s almost two years since the start of the global Covid-19 pandemic and economies around the world are rebounding. Investment in infrastructure and manufacturing output are predicted to rise this year – just two of the factors that will help economies grow. India’s economy is set to grow […]
Regulations issued to supplement new UAE labour laws The UAE government has published new regulations supplementing the emirates’ new employment laws that came into effect on 2 February. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) said the new regs will help companies draw up fresh employment contracts and employment policies. They address a wide-range […]
Malaysian taxpayers to get tax relief for Covid testing Taxpayers can now claim tax relief for Covid-19 tests for themselves, their spouses and children in their assessment for 2021, the Malaysian government has confirmed. All forms of Covid-19 screenings, including real-time RT-PCR testing done through private medical centres and self-test kits, are claimable, the Inland […]
India tipped for fastest economic growth in 2022-23 India’s economy is set to grow faster than any other large nation’s, thanks to a raft of government initiatives unveiled in Budget 2022-23, according to the Finance Ministry’s Monthly Economic Review. It highlighted manufacturing and construction as the ‘growth drivers’, while agriculture will continue to diversify, strengthening […]
