New Straits Times, 19 July, 2008.
By : Marc Lourdes

KUALA LUMPUR : Business owners will no longer have to rush to get their operating licences renewed at the end of every year.

Licences, which previously expired at the end of every year, are now valid from their approval date and up to three years.

The validity period depends on the type of business.

The changes were introduced by the Special Task Force to Facilitate Business (Pemudah), set up last year to reform the country's delivery system and enhance economic activity.

Pemudah co-chairman and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan said the new licensing system was a significant improvement as it cut down the hassle and lessened the burden of business operators.

"Another plus point is that businesses can begin operating immediately after submitting their applications and upon receipt of the rele-vant acknowledgements.

"They will be given a grace period of a maximum two months to comply with the conditions and no enforcement will take place during this stage," he said, adding that failure to conform to the requirements after this period will result in revocation of the licences.

Composite licences for hotels will be issued based on each hotel's star rating.

"These new initiatives will result in meaningful improvement to the business community in Malaysia."

He added that Pemudah would, in future, implement new initiatives to ease the time and cost of doing business.

"This includes refining tax matters, streamlining composite hotel licences and instilling zero tolerance towards corrupt practices."