SINGAPORE, Sept 26 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is ranked among the 25 most business-friendly economies in the world, according to the latest World Bank's "Doing Business" report released today.
In the report, the fifth in an annual report series issued by the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Malaysia is ranked 24th out of 178 economies in the ease of doing business.
"The report finds that equity returns are highest in countries that are reforming the most," said Michael Klein, World Bank/IFC vice president for financial and private sector development.
SINGAPORE, Sept 26 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is ranked among the 25 most business-friendly economies in the world, according to the latest World Bank's "Doing Business" report released today.
In the report, the fifth in an annual report series issued by the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Malaysia is ranked 24th out of 178 economies in the ease of doing business.
"The report finds that equity returns are highest in countries that are reforming the most," said Michael Klein, World Bank/IFC vice president for financial and private sector development.
"Investors are looking for upside potential, and they find it in economies that are reforming -- regardless of their starting point," he said.
For the second year running, Singapore tops the rankings on the ease of doing business with New Zealand, the United States and Hong Kong following close behind.
Eastern Europe and Central Asia, as a region, surpassed East Asia this year in the ease of doing business, the bank said.
"Several of the region's countries have even passed many economies of Western Europe on this score. Croatia, Macedonia, Georgia, Bulgaria and Hungary are among the region's top reformers," it said.
Estonia, the most business-friendly country of the former socialist bloc, ranks 17th on the ease of doing business, it added.
Georgia and Latvia are also in the top 25.
"The results show that as governments ease regulations for doing business, more entrepreneurs go into business," said Simeon Djankov, lead author of the report.
"Eastern Europe has witnessed a boom in new business entry that rivals the rapid growth in East Asia in the past," he said.
The top 25 rankings on the ease of doing business are: 1. Singapore, 2. New Zealand, 3. United States, 4. Hong Kong, 5. Denmark, 6. United Kingdom, 7. Canada, 8. Ireland, 9. Australia, 10. Iceland, 11. Norway, 12. Japan, 13. Finland, 14. Sweden, 15. Thailand, 16. Switzerland, 17. Estonia, 18. Georgia, 19. Belgium, 20. Germany, 21. Netherlands, 22. Latvia, 23. Saudi Arabia, 24. Malaysia, and 25. Austria.
By Jackson Sawatan Source -- BERNAMA |
