This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly on March 12, 2018 - March 18, 2018

1.    Compared to a year ago, has the overall economic condition in Malaysia improved, remained about the same, or worsened?        

Improved.    24.14    147    Remained about the same.    53.04    323    Worsened.    22.82    139    Total respondents        609

2.    Over the next 12 months, do you expect the overall economic conditions in Malaysia to become better, remain about the same, or worsen?          

 Become better.    34.65    211    Remain about the same.    48.28    294    Worsen.    17.08    104    Total respondents        609

3.    Is your firm’s total fixed investment expenditure likely to increase, remain about the same, or decrease over the next 12 months?            

Increase.    49.92    304    Remain about the same.    40.56    247    Decrease.    9.52    58    Total respondents        609

4.    Do you expect your firm’s sales revenue to increase, remain about the same, or decrease over the next 12 months?        

Increase.    65.52    399    Remain about the same.    25.29    154    Decrease.    9.20    56    Total respondents        609

5.     Do you expect your firm’s profitability to improve, remain about the same, or worsen over the next 12 months?      

 Improve.    55.17    336    Remain about the same.    33.66    205    Worsen.    11.17    68    Total respondents        609

6.    Do you expect your firm’s total number of employees to increase, remain about the same, or decrease over the next 12 months?            

Increase.    48.28    294    Remain about the same.    43.68    266    Decrease.    8.05    49    Total respondents        609

7.    Going forward, how long do you think these middle-management employees will stay in your organisation?            

1-3 years        > 3 years        Total    Baby boomers

    (born 1946-1964)    26.57%    123    73.43%    340    463

    Generation X

    (born 1965-1976)    11.11%    60    88.89%    480    540

    Millennials/

    Generation Y

    (born 1977-1995)    38.61%    222    61.39%    353    575

    Generation Z or

    Centennials

    (born 1996 and later)    73.85%    322    26.15%    114    436

    Total respondents                    604

8.    If you are looking for funds to grow your business, what are or would be your sources of funding?(Please tick where applicable)            

Traditional bank financing

(including leasing, hire purchase, etc)    81.80    490    Equity crowd funding    16.53    99    P2P financing    7.51    45    Bonds    4.34    26    Local and offshore bourses    3.84    23    Government grants    25.54    153    Others (please state):    10.18    61    Total respondents        599

9.    In the 4Q2017 Index survey, 49% of the respondents indicated that they had adopted e-commerce in their businesses. If you are among the 49%, are you (please tick where applicable):                    

    Selling through your own website    67.97    295    Selling through own e-procurement

platforms    18.66    81    Selling through other e-platforms: Alibaba    16.36    71    Selling through other e-platforms: Lazada    28.57    124    Selling through other e-platforms: Zalora    3.92    17    Selling through other e-platforms: Amazon    3.00    13    Any others (please state):    20.51    89    Total respondents        434

10.    In the 4Q2017 Index survey, 20% of the respondents indicated that they were using electric cars and 80% indicated that they were prepared to use electric cars. What advantages do you see from a full conversion to using electric cars?(Tick ALL that apply)            

More economical.    61.90    372    Less pollution.    87.52    526    Less maintenance.    27.95    168    Higher safety factor.    15.47    93    Any others (please state):    4.16    25    Total respondents        601

11.    Section 67 of the GST Regulations 2014 stipulates input tax credit refunds are to be paid within 14 working days of the date of filing GST returns online and 28 working days for manual submission. What has been your experience in getting refunds?          

 < 14 working days.    8.88    47    > 14 working days to < 1 month.    30.43    161    1 to 3 months.    43.67    231    > 3 months.    17.01    90    Total respondents        529

12. Related to Q13 above, what were the issues, if any, faced in getting GST refunds?        

    Additional documents required.    38.97    189

    Customs desk review/audit required.    32.58    158

    No updates from Customs.    38.56    187

    Not able to contact Customs.    9.28    45

    Other issues faced (please state):    6.80    33

    Total respondents        485

13.    Starting from Jan 1, 2018, employers nationwide are required to pay a levy for foreign workers (both new and those who have renewed their Temporary Employment Visit Pass). For Peninsular Malaysia, the levy for each foreign worker is RM1,850 (manufacturing, construction and services sectors), RM640 (plantation and agriculture) and RM410-RM590 (maids). For Sabah and Sarawak, the levy is RM1,010 (manufacturing and construction), RM1,490 (services), RM590 (plantation), RM 410 (agriculture) and RM410-RM590 (maids). Will you still be hiring foreign workers now that the cost of hiring has increased?            

Yes.    52.58    316    No.    12.48    75    Not applicable.    34.94    210    Total respondents        601

14. During the tabling of Budget 2018 on Oct 27, 2017, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced that the mandatory maternity leave for the private sector had been increased from 60 to 90 days. Have you implemented this yet?          

 Yes.    24.50    147    No.    75.50    453    Total respondents        600

15.    According to the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, China continued to be the largest trading partner with Malaysia for the eighth consecutive year since 2009. Trade with China in January-November 2017 expanded by 22.3% to RM264.61 billion compared with the same period in 2016. Exports to China surged by 29.7% to RM114.62 billion, due to higher exports of E&E products, petroleum products, chemicals and chemical products, rubber products, LNG as well as optical and scientific equipment. Imports from China increased by 17.2% to RM150 billion. With China being a dominant player, is your business:                            

Yes.        No.        Total    Selling to China?    24.33%    145    71.31%    425    486    Buying from China?    66.78%    398    31.71%    189    503    Total respondents                    596

16.    In what currency are you using to trade with China?        

Renminbi.    25.83    132

    Ringgit.    9.20    47

    US dollar.    64.97    332

    Total respondents        511

17.    In the next six months, what do you personally plan to invest in? (Choose TWO only.)        

    Bonds.    8.06    47

    Equities (shares).    43.57    254

    Fixed deposits/cash.    40.82    238

    Foreign real estate.    7.89    46

    Local real estate.    36.54    213

    Gold and/or silver.    7.20    42

    Bitcoin/ethereum.    10.81    63

    Unit trusts/mutual funds.    23.67    138

    Foreign currencies.    12.86    75

    Private equity.    6.86    40

    Total respondents        583

Save by subscribing to us for your print and/or digital copy.

P/S: The Edge is also available on Apple's AppStore and Androids' Google Play.