Economic impact of

COVID-19:
A Malaysian context
Summary of potential economic impacts
and corresponding policy interventions
Contents

This document analyzes the socio-economic impacts

Summary of economic forecasts from the COVID-19 pandemic, and describes key policy
1.
from various sources measures undertaken by the Malaysian Government.
This document also provides guidance on the four
Dashboard of economic and priority areas that organizations should focus on to
2.
scenario forecasts stay resilient during this challenging period.

Potential socio-economic impacts Contacts

3.
of COVID-19
George Koshy
Partner, Head of Transaction Advisory Services
4. Specific sectoral impacts Ernst & Young PLT
Tel: +603 7495 8700
[email protected]

5. Malaysian policy interventions Ng Boon Hui

Senior Executive Director, TAS – Valuation, Modelling
and Economics
6. The resilient enterprise Ernst & Young PLT
Tel: +603 7495 7817
[email protected]

Chong Lun Yao

Associate Director, TAS – Valuation, Modelling and
Economics
Ernst & Young PLT
Tel: +603 7495 7856
[email protected]

Page 2 Economic impact of COVID-19: A Malaysian context

Review of economic forecasts based on external sources

• The Malaysian Institute of Economic Research, in a press statement on 24 March 2020,

predicts that the real GDP growth of Malaysia in 2020 will drop from 4.0% to -2.9%,
with up to 2.4 million job losses, of which 67% will be from the unskilled workers
category.
• The International Labour Organisation (“ILO”)’s preliminary estimates point towards a
significant rise in unemployment and under-employment as the crisis unfolds.
• An external EY source anticipates the real GDP growth and unemployment in Malaysia
to worsen, in both baseline and scenario forecasts. Comparing global economic growth
against Malaysia’s, the external EY source predicts that Malaysia’s real GDP growth will
fare better.
6.0%

5.0%

4.0% Malaysia’s real GDP growth

3.0%
Global real GDP growth
2.0%

1.0%

0.0%

-1.0%
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

Page 3 Economic impact of COVID-19: A Malaysian context

Review of economic forecasts from Bank Negara Malaysia

• Bank Negara Malaysia projects Malaysia’s GDP growth to range between -2.0% to
0.5% in 2020, due to:
• Output losses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic;
• The implementation of the Movement Control Order (“MCO”); and
• Commodity supply disruptions both domestically and internationally
• Through stress tests, Bank Negara Malaysia predicts that the financial system will
continue to remain resilient even under adverse economic scenarios, with capital
buffers still sufficient to absorb potential losses.
• Bank Negara Malaysia has represented that GDP growth in 2020 will be supported by
stimulus measures, policy rate cuts, the continued progress of public projects and
higher public sector expenditure.
GDP growth rates from 2017 to 2020 (%) Headline inflation rates from 2017 to 2020 (%)
8.0%
4.0%
6.0%
4.0% 2.0%
2.0%
0.0% 0.5% 0.5%
0.0%
-2.0% -2.0%
-1.5%
-4.0% -2.0%
2017 2018 2019 2020 2017 2018 2019 2020

Source: Bank Negara Malaysia Economic and Monetary Review 2019 as at 3 April 2020

Page 4 Economic impact of COVID-19: A Malaysian context

Prospective economic forecasts from an External EY Source

Initial baseline forecasts Updated baseline forecasts

(As at 17 February 2020) (As at 24 March 2020)
Indicator 2019 2020 2021 Indicator 2019 2020 2021

Real GDP growth 4.3% 3.9% 4.4% Real GDP growth 4.3% 1.6% 5.4%

Domestic demand Domestic demand

4.0% 5.2% 4.3% 4.0% 3.6% 4.9%
growth growth

Private consumption Private consumption

7.6% 5.7% 4.2% 7.6% 5.4% 5.0%
growth growth

Employment growth 2.1% 2.1% 2.2% Employment growth 2.1% 1.2% 3.0%

Unemployment rate 3.3% 3.4% 3.3% Unemployment rate 3.3% 3.5% 3.3%

Inflation rate 0.7% 1.9% 2.0% Inflation rate 0.7% 0.8% 1.7%

• Subsequently, the External EY Source has adjusted its forecasts to reflect the ongoing global pandemic, by reducing the
forecasts for real GDP growth, domestic demand growth, private consumption growth and employment growth.
• Inflation rate is expected to improve in 2020, reflecting the inverse relationship with unemployment rate, to combat lower
domestic demand and private consumption.

Source: External EY Source as at 24 March 2020

Page 5 Economic impact of COVID-19: A Malaysian context

The real GDP of Malaysia to decrease by -0.05% in 2020 in
the event that the Coronavirus pandemic worsens
Forecast of Malaysia’s real GDP from 2019 to 2024
(RM billion, 2015 prices)
1,750
Baseline forecast
1,700
1,650 Pandemic worsens

1,600
1,550
1,500
1,450
1,400
1,350
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

• The updated baseline forecasts indicate a 1.6% growth in real GDP in 2020, compared to
-0.05% in 2020 in scenario forecasts in the event of a worsening pandemic.
• The real GDP growth is expected to recover in 2021 in baseline forecasts (5.4%), whereas it
is expected to recover in 2023 (4.8%) in the scenario forecasts.

Source: External EY Source as at 20 March 2020

Page 6 Economic impact of COVID-19: A Malaysian context

The unemployment rate in Malaysia to rise to 3.5% in 2020
if global pandemic continues to worsen
Forecast of Malaysia’s unemployment rate from 2019 to 2024 (%)

3.6%

3.4%

3.2%
Pandemic worsens

3.0%

Baseline forecast
2.8%

2.6%

2.4%
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

• The updated baseline forecasts show that the unemployment rate will rise to 3.4% in 2020,
compared to 3.5% in 2020 if the pandemic worsens.
• Likewise with real GDP, the unemployment rate is expected to return to normal levels in
2021 for baseline forecasts (3.2%), whereas the scenario forecasts expect the
unemployment rate to return to normal levels in 2023 (3.3%).

Source: External EY Source as at 20 March 2020

Page 7 Economic impact of COVID-19: A Malaysian context

Potential socio-economic impacts of COVID-19

Direct sectoral impact to Drop in foreign trade as supply Fall in stock markets due to
industries such as air travel, chains are affected by reduced investor and consumer
tourism and hospitality Government orders confidence

Reduced consumer spending due Cashflow issues arising from the Further reduced domestic
to the implementation of the MCO MCO, leading to demand and spending arising
by the Government permanent/temporary layoffs from unemployment

Page 8 Economic impact of COVID-19: A Malaysian context

Degree of impact in specific sectors

Degree of impact, by severity

Tourism and hospitality
• Closure of tourism facilities across Malaysia
• Closure of all hotels and accommodation facilities across Malaysia; and
• Travel restrictions due to the MCO

Aviation and logistics

• Despite the fall in fuel prices, the fall in travel demand outweighs by a significant margin
• Supply chain processes affected due to the MCO, resulting in logistical constraints and
business slowdowns

Oil and gas

• Fall in demand for oil and gas as consumers face restricted travel
• Decline in oil price arising from short-term demand impact and shorter term supply
overhang from the OPEC+ decision to increase production

Agriculture
• Business slowdowns in China and Europe lead to demand slumps for crude palm oil and
other export fruits
• Production largely unaffected; however the weak state of food security in Malaysia has
given rise to fears of sustainability

Source: MIDF as at 10 March 2020, CAPA as at 17 March 2020, McKinsey Global Report as at 25 March 2020

Page 9 Economic impact of COVID-19: A Malaysian context

Policy interventions

• On 27 February 2020, the Malaysian Government Total Economic Stimulus

announced an Economic Stimulus Package to Package
“cushion” the resulting impact from the COVID-19 (as at 27 February 2020)
outbreak, as well as “reinvigorate” the growth of the
Malaysian economy, through three (3) different
strategies:
RM 20b
• Strategy 1: Mitigating impact of COVID-19
• Ease cashflow of businesses;
• Assist affected individuals; and
• Stimulate demand for the domestic “travel and tourism” sector
• Strategy 2: Catalyzing rakyat-centric economic growth
• Boost household spending and people-centric projects
• Strategy 3: Promoting quality investment
• Leverage public investments; and
• Provide incentives to encourage private investments

Source: Ministry of Finance as at 27 February 2020

Page 10 Potential economic impact of COVID-19 in Malaysia

Policy interventions (cont’d)

• Following the increase in infection rates across the nation and Total PRIHATIN Package
the implementation of the MCO on 18 March 2020, the (as at 27 March 2020)
Government announced the PRIHATIN Economic Stimulus

•
Package on 27 March 2020, which aims to inject an additional
RM 230 billion into the economy.
Together with the previously announced economic stimulus
RM 230b
package, the Government has ultimately pledged to inject a
total of RM 250 billion to stimulate the Malaysian economy,
with three primary goals as follows:
• To protect the rakyat;
• To support businesses; and
• To strengthen the economy
• Bank Negara Malaysia has represented that this package is
estimated to add 2.8% to GDP growth in 2020.

Source: Ministry of Finance as at 27 March 2020, and Bank Negara Malaysia Economic and Monetary Review as at 3 April 2020

Page 11 Economic impact of COVID-19: A Malaysian context

Policy interventions (cont’d)

• The Small and Medium Enterprises (“SMEs”) are the backbone Total additional allocation
of the Malaysian economy, contributing almost 40% of the (as at 6 April 2020)
country’s GDP, and providing employment to almost two-thirds
of the Malaysian workforce. After various requests from
interest groups, the Government announced on 6 April 2020
an additional allocation of RM 10 billion to further support
RM 10b
businesses, particularly the SMEs.
• The RM 10 billion will be allocated as follows:
• Additional allocation of RM 7.9 billion to the Enhanced Wage Subsidy
Programme, now totalling RM 13.8 billion, to help 4.8 million
workers. The programme was originally allocated RM 5.9 billion and
aimed to help 3.3 million workers.
• Allocation of RM 2.1 billion to fund the PRIHATIN Special Grant,
which is an initiative to provide RM 3,000 to each qualifying micro
SME
• Together with the previously announced economic stimulus Total PRIHATIN Economic
packages, the total pledged by the Government for the
Stimulus Package
PRIHATIN Economic Stimulus Package is RM 260 billion. (as at 6 April 2020)

RM 260b
Source: Ministry of Finance as at 6 April 2020

Page 12 Economic impact of COVID-19: A Malaysian context

Selected measures of the Economic Stimulus Package

Financing facilities • Financial institutions to facilitate the restructuring and rescheduling of loans
• RM 2 billion allocated to establish a Special Relief Facility (“SRF”) to assist with the cashflows
of affected SMEs
• Bank Simpanan Nasional to offer RM 200 million in micro-credit facilities to the tourism and
other affected sectors
• RM 500 million to be invested by the Securities Commission Co-Investment Fund in
early-state and growth-stage Malaysian companies

Industry boosters • Deferment of monthly tax instalments for six months for the tourism sector
• Exemption of service tax on taxable services for six months for the hospitality industry
• All affected sectors exempted from Human Resources Development Fund levy
• 15% discount on electricity bills for all affected sectors
• RM 500 million allocated to stimulate demand for the tourism sector
• Up to RM 5 million per affected SME for guarantees to finance working capital

Socio-economic • Fund amounting to RM 1.1 billion to assist retrenched workers under the Employment
Insurance System (“EIS”)
drivers
• Minimum employee contribution to the Employees Provident Fund (“EPF”) reduced from 11%
to 7%, to potentially increase disposable income by approximately RM 10 billion
• RM 300 million for all SMEs to upgrade, modernize and rejuvenate productive assets under the
SME Automation and Digitalisation Facility (“ADF”)
• Up to RM 2 billion worth of small-scale projects to be carried out

Source: Ministry of Finance as at 27 March 2020

Page 13 Economic impact of COVID-19: A Malaysian context

Selected measures of the PRIHATIN Economic Stimulus
Package
Rakyat-centric Business support Economic strengtheners

RM 128b
to preserve rakyat’s welfare
RM 110b
to support all businesses,
RM 2b
to ensure sustainability of
including SMEs economic growth
• Allocation of RM 1.5 billion to • Loan/financing moratorium for • Allocation of RM 2 billion for the
support the Ministry of Health; all affected businesses for six implementation of small projects
• Insurance and takaful industry months; to benefit G1 to G4 contractors;
to create a special fund of RM 8 • Allocation of RM 500 million to • To ensure the implementation of
million to cover costs, and provide discounts on electricity the RM 2 billion worth of
suspension of premiums by bills for the tourism, projects previously announced;
affected contributors for three commercial, industrial, and
months; agricultural and household • To continue and bring forward
• Allocation of RM 10 billion for sectors; the implementation of all
one-off cash assistance to all • Allocation of RM 13.8 billion to projects allocated under Budget
B40 households and eligible assist up to 4.8 million workers 2020 such as the East Coast Rail
M40 households under the under the Enhanced Wage Line project, the Mass Rapid
Bantuan Prihatin Nasional; Subsidy Programme; Transit 2 project, and the
• Allocation of RM 1 billion to the • Postponement of income tax National Fiberisation and
Food Security Fund; and instalments for all SMEs; and Connectivity Plan
• Loan moratorium for all • Various forms of assistance to
borrowers for six months farmers and fishermen,
including agricultural inputs to
increase domestic production

Source: Ministry of Finance as at 27 March 2020 and 6 April 2020

Page 14 Economic impact of COVID-19: A Malaysian context

Bank Negara Malaysia’s monetary policy interventions

• In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the central bank of Malaysia, Bank

Negara Malaysia (“BNM”), has implemented the following measures:
• Reduced the Overnight Policy Rates from 2.75% to 2.50% on 3 March 2020, which
aims to “provide a more accommodative monetary environment”; and
• Decreased the Statutory Reserve Requirement (“SRR”) Ratio from 3.0% to 2.0%,
and each Principal Dealer is able to recognize Malaysian Government securities
(“MGS”) and Malaysian Government Investment Issues (“MGII”) of up to RM 1 billion,
effective 20 March 2020. These measures aim to release approximately RM 30
billion worth of liquidity into the banking system.
4.5%

4.0%

3.5%

3.0%

2.5% Overnight Policy Rate

2.0% SRR Ratio

1.5%
Jan-16 Nov-16 Sep-17 Jul-18 May-19 Mar-20
Source: BNM press releases on 3 March 2020 and 19 March 2020

Page 15 Economic impact of COVID-19: A Malaysian context

The resilient enterprise

The resilient enterprise

1. safety
Put people
people
first
safety first
2. Protect
Protect
business
business
Four continuity
continuity
actions
to
to respond
respond to
to
COVID-19
Build and
and
COVID-19

3. secure
secure 4. Engage
stakeholders
stakeholders
liquidity
liquidity

Source: EY

Page 16 Economic impact of COVID-19: A Malaysian context

1. Put people safety first

• Companies need to do their best to steady the ground and transition people
into new ways of working

► Set mechanism for ► Establish clear company

responding to employees’ direction following
health concerns (e.g. Government’s directive and
insurance protection regulations on the
coverage, travel restrictions) Steady Transition Movement Control Order
the people
► Regularly communicate ground into new ► Set clear expectations,
positive and assuring ways of work priorities, roles and
messages working responsibilities on remote
working
► Remind employees of
company’s common purpose ► Advise employees to stay
and help communities (e.g. flexible and adopt an open
donations, CSR) mindset as situation is fluid

► Create channels for regular ► Provide seamless remote

check-ins and ad-hoc working technology
updates support

Source: EY

Page 17 Economic impact of COVID-19: A Malaysian context

1. Put people safety first (cont’d)

People, your key assets, are subject Actions to take

to high stress when dealing with 1. Be extraordinarily human
fear, anxiety, ambiguity and ► Actively listen to employee concerns
uncertainty given the extent of the ► Practice empathy
COVID-19 impact on a personal level
► It’s fine to acknowledge you may not
and on work. have all the answers at this point

Safety, health, wellbeing, care and 2. Be persistent

job security become immediate ► Communicate regularly
priorities to deal with the present ► Personalize messages
and coming challenges. ► Build trust

3. Be creative
Your team will also need clear and ► Explore new ways of working
transparent communications on how remotely
the Government’s stimulus package ► Register for a new learning course
may help them. ► Share experiences and tell stories

Source: EY

Page 18 Economic impact of COVID-19: A Malaysian context

 2. Protect business continuity

• Building a resilient supply chain is key to mitigating economic risks

Invest in key supply chain
2. capabilities e.g. visibility and
monitoring, agile planning
Capability
build out

End-to-end Proactive
assessment to
identify critical 1. 3. triggering of pre-
defined “standard
operating
risk scenarios,
Assessment Risk
gaps, impacts and intelligence procedures” to
responses and strategy Building risks or disruptions
monitoring
business
resiliency

Respond

Crisis management Define Plan B operating

approach for major
events where pre- 5. 4. procedures with clear
decision-making
defined responses are Risk response processes to respond to
inadequate Major crisis disruptions
management procedures

Source: EY

Page 19 Economic impact of COVID-19: A Malaysian context

2. Protect business continuity (cont’d)

The COVID-19 pandemic has Actions to take

disrupted economic activities, 1. Visibility and monitoring
including supply chain networks. ► Is there a single view across your supplier and
customer networks on supply chain capacity,
availability and product flows?

Businesses lose clarity on demand 2. End-to-end supply chain risk assessment

as buying behavior shifts ► Are your supply chain ecosystem partners
drastically. proactively engaged to identify risks and close
gaps?

3. Contingency and scenario planning

Ripple effect emerges as ► Is contingency and scenario planning in place
companies’ sources of supplies are with standardized emergency response
processes?
disrupted, compounded by
temporary suspension of support 4. Supplier network diversification
services. ► Is there clarity on your supplier base and
dependencies, with alternate suppliers in
place?

It is imperative for businesses to 5. Contingency and scenario planning

rapidly assess, recover and respond ► Have you considered available tax, financing,
to their supply network disruptions. and other moratorium benefits?

Source: EY

Page 20 Economic impact of COVID-19: A Malaysian context

3. Build and secure liquidity

• Both internal and external factors will tighten liquidity during COVID-19 and
rapid assessment is needed to test different scenarios.
High
Impact of
COVID-19 on
company’s Cost and
cash needs operations Risk zone
focus
► Ability to
operate
► Revenue
sensitivity
Monitor Liquidity
contagion focus

Low

Low
High
Ability of company to absorb cash needs
► Cash availability
► Risk of losing financing
Source: EY

Page 21 Economic impact of COVID-19: A Malaysian context

3. Build and secure liquidity (cont’d)

COVID-19 will disproportionately Actions to take

impact highly leveraged businesses 1. Identify available cash and due payments
and those with low cash buffers ► Track down cash buffers, calculate
already facing tough trading available cash and unutilized credit lines
conditions. Liquidity tightening across ► Identify urgent payments (e.g. invoices and
the markets will cascade, from treasury settlements)
business to business, impacting the 2. Allocate cash reserves
supply chain network.
► Identify opportunities to pool liquidity
► Monitor the financial status of entities
within the group
Key questions for CFOs to consider:
► Allocate liquidity to entities in need of cash
1. Have you assessed the liquidity
impact on the range of stress-test 3. Forecast cash flows
scenarios presented by COVID-19? ► Establish a cash forecast including various
scenarios
2. Has management agreed on an ► Calculate the group’s cash forecast to
appropriate contingency funding identify cash bottlenecks and surplus
plan based on the stress-test ► Provide adequate liquidity reserve to
scenarios? prevent insolvency

4. Monitor financial covenants

► Regularly review forecast to ensure
compliance with financial covenants
Source: EY

Page 22 Economic impact of COVID-19: A Malaysian context

4. Engage stakeholders

• Building confidence and trust will be a key differentiator

Assess Prevent Detect Restore Recover

Identify Prioritize Plan Implement Monitor Respond

Define Categorize Identify Enforce control Align data and

stakeholder risks and disruption and policy insights Drive pandemic resilience
impact impact
Change in
Customer and Customer Customer safety and ► Create customer market plan
Customers customer
branding risk communication brand insights ► Respond to brand impact
demand

Employee and Employee Employee safety Working capital ► Communicate organization’s response to
Employees human capital health and and awareness credit tax and safety and security concerns
risk safety impacts training insurance ► Identify affected employees

Concentration
Investors and Financial and Financial risk ► Monitor impacts to liquidity, capital and credit
risk and Concentration risk
capital markets tax impacts monitoring ► Respond to financial and tax incentives
liquidity

Regulators and WHO and local ► Contact external agencies and confirm
Regulatory Regulatory check
external Regulator risk regulatory alignment to suggested policies
compliance and coordination
organizations information ► Monitor regulation impacts and compliance

Goods and Remote work ► Contact vendors and determine service-level

Vendor outage
Third parties services capability and IT Vendors’ situation agreement gaps/outages and concentration
risk
disruptions resilience ► Define contingency plans for third-party gaps

Technology Technology Third-party risk Technology ► Enable remote work IT programs

Technology
availability and availability and assessment and infrastructure & ► Confirm changes are cyber-secure and resilient
ecosystem
IT risk cyber threats control cyber resilience ► Drive IT risk resiliency programs

Brand, marketing and communications strategy

Source: EY

Page 23 Economic impact of COVID-19: A Malaysian context

4. Engage stakeholders (cont’d)

With most businesses planning to Actions to take

reshape their organization to 1. Understand stakeholders’ critical priorities
sustain in these challenging times of ► Identify key stakeholders and their short to medium
term priorities
the COVID-19 pandemic, ► Examine the impacted stakeholders due to the
stakeholder engagement is more current economic situation

important than ever.

2. Create a cross-functional response team to
address challenges/issues and track position daily
► Identify the decision-makers within the organization
Lack of communication or unclear ► Establish daily cadence and appropriate
messaging may trigger speculations governance to address issues and risks

and raise doubts among 3. Prepare a targeted engagement plan to address

stakeholders. This may result in the needs and priorities
loss of stakeholder confidence and ► Establish a proactive and comprehensive
communication plan to address both external and
lead to an adverse shift on how the internal stakeholders
organization is perceived. ► Designate single points of contact to facilitate
seamless engagement with internal and external
stakeholders

In time, this may have long-term 4. Address legal liabilities

financial and operational impact on ► Establish process to notify and engage with
regulators proactively
the organization. ► Establish mitigation action on any potential lawsuits
and negative brand impact to the organization

Source: EY

Page 24 Economic impact of COVID-19: A Malaysian context

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