Corporate Governance
Transcript of Corporate Governance
MGM4136CURRENT ISSUES AND
MANAGEMENTCorporate Governance
LECTURER:
PUAN RUHANA BT HAJI BUSU
Prepared by:
Wong Yoke Pui 147722Seow Fun Yin 147836Oh Shiek Ching 147839Lee Inn Hui 147968Ngor Siew En 150114
Definition
Corporate governance is an internal system that encompasses polices, processes,
people, and makes sure the needs of shareholders and other stakeholders are met in
full. This will be accomplished by directing and controlling managing activities using
good business practices, objectivity, accountability and integrity. Effective corporate
governance relies on external marketplace commitment and legislation, plus a healthy
board culture which safeguards policies and processes.
Why does corporate governance important
Corporate governance is a key element in enhancing investor confidence,
promoting competitiveness, and ultimately improving economic growth. Good corporate
governance helps to prevent corporate scandals, fraud, and potential civil and criminal
liability of the organization. A good corporate governance image will enhances the
reputation of the organization and makes it more attractive to customers, investors,
suppliers and, contributors of nonprofit organizations. It is aims to protect shareholder
rights, enhance disclosure and transparency.
Good Corporate Governance
Good corporate governance will ensures the accountability of certain individuals such as
reduce or eliminate principal-agent problem, achieve an a locative efficiency likes ensure
investors receive adequate return and guideline on how company is managed or governed
such as eliminate undesirable behavior and reduce unethical behavior.
Eight characteristic of good governance
1. Participation
Participation by both men and women is a basis of good governance. Participation
could be either direct or indirectly. Indirectly means participation through legal
intermediate institutions or representatives that represent their interests.
Participation is a method whereby policy making, prioritizing issues, convenience
to public goods and services and also allocating resources that unfair by
stakeholders. It varies from one context to another and subject to different kind of
projects and visions.
2. Rule of law
Good governance require laws, regulations and codes of conduct should be fair
and enforced impartially, particularly the laws on human rights. The helpful ways
of tackling weak governance is to look at the disconnection between institutions
within the broader governance environment as well as the scope of operation of
the public in common. The availability of information is critical to good
governance. Access to information and the promotion of practical rights provide
an enabling framework where accountability and improved delivery could
enhance institutional changes.
3. Transparency
Transparency means that decisions taken and their enforcement are done in a way
that follows rules and regulations. It also means that information is freely
available and directly open to those who will be affected by such decisions and
their enforcement. It also means that enough information is provided and that it is
provided in easily understandable forms and media. It promotes openness of
government action, decision-making processes, and consultative processes among
public sector and all stakeholders.
4. Responsiveness
Institutions and processes try to serve all stakeholders quickly or within a
reasonable timeframe.
5. Consensus oriented
There are many different point of views in a society or a community. A good
governance should take into consideration each stakeholder members’ opinions
and benefits to reach a broad consensus on what is the best interest of the group,
on policies and procedures. Reaching a consensus in any decisions could be done
by practicing serious consideration of every stakeholder’s opinion. This does not
only seek agreement of the majority, but also to resolve the objections of the
minority with the ultimate goal to achieve the most agreeable decision. In other
words, grassroot democracy shall be achieved. A deep understanding of the
historical, cultural, and social contexts of a given society or community could be
the foundation towards a consensus oriented governance.
6. Equity and inclusiveness
A society’s well being depends on ensuring that all its members feel that they
have a stake in it and do not feel excluded from the mainstream of the society.
This requires all groups to have opportunities to improve or maintain their well
being. It includes designing mechanisms, policies, or processes that are fair for all
stakeholder members where each and every one of them is given equal chance to
reach the state of good welfare.
7. Effective and efficient
Good governance means that the processes and institutions produce desirable
results that meet the needs of the society, while putting the resources at their best
use. Being effective which means providing what the community needs, in which
would increase the community’s welfare. In the context of instilling efficiency in
good governance, usage of natural resources should be sustainable and at the
same time, to protect the environment.
8. Accountability
Accountability is the key requirement of good governance. Not only
governmental institutions but also the private sector and civil society
organizations must be accountable to the stakeholders and public. Who is
accountable to whom varies, depending on whether the decision/action is internal
or external to an organization. It acts as a means towards the development of more
efficient and effective organizations. So how accountability comes into the picture
in ensuring the positive impact being brought to the community? As an example,
politicians and public servants are given enormous power through the laws and
regulations they implement, resources they control, and they organizations they
manage; and accountability is a way to ensure that this power is used
appropriately and in accordance with the public interest. In general, an
organization is accountable to those who will be affected by its decisions or
actions, and it’s important to practice transparency in order to enforce
accountability in organizations.
Advantage of Corporate Governance
Corporate governance practices leads to a better system of internal control, thus
leading to greater accountability and better profit margins.
Good corporate governance practices can pave the way for possible future
growth, diversification, or a sale, including the ability to attract equity investors
either nationally or abroad.
Better corporate governance can also provide shareholders with greater security
on their investment.
Better corporate governance also ensures that shareholders are sufficiently
informed on decisions concerning fundamental issues. For example, when a
company amendments of statutes or articles of incorporation, it will inform the
shareholders.
It was found out that more than 84% of the global institutional investors are
willing to pay a premium for the shares of a well-governed company over one
considered poorly governed but with a comparable financial record.
Disadvantage of Corporate Governance
Costs of Monitoring
--- To effectively govern a publicly traded corporation, shareholders must speak
with one voice and have enough votes to allow that voice to have any real weight.
This requires individuals that have a collective vision for the company to pour
more money into that company to gain a controlling share. This process can be
highly political, since controlling shareholders that sense a hostile takeover may
attempt to buy up more shares to stay in power and keep the minority party silent.
Corporate governance at this level could grind to a halt, driving stock prices lower
and hindering a corporation's ability to make smart business decisions.
Family-Owned Companies
--- Corporate governance works at its best when shareholders and board
members are able to make objective decisions that are in the best interest of
the company. For example, Ford and Wal Mart lose objectivity in business
making decisions due to the family's financial investment in the business'
performance and the emotional ties associated with building a worldwide
corporation from the ground up.
Current issues
Case 1: Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) Scandal
Port Klang Free Zone scandal had been exposed since early of August 2007, but
the police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission spent about three years to
charge several people including former Transport Minister Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik with
cheating the Malaysian government by misleading the Cabinet on the land acquisition for
the Mega Distribution project in Port Klang.
Dr Ling is accused of dishonestly hiding the fact that the valuation by the
Valuation and Property Service Department, Ministry of Finance. According to the
charge, the fraud was committed with the knowledge that he could cause a loss to the
Malaysian government, where he had an interest in the transaction pertaining to the fraud
and he was bound under the law to protect it.
Parliament is entitled to know what were the reasons which caused the PKFZ land
question, which has landed the country with a RM12.5 billion PKFZ scandal. It noted that
three months after the formation of the Super Task Force, several people were charged
for their alleged role in the PKFZ scandal. The Ministry of Transport also said that they
will make sure the PKFZ scandal will be clearly and hoping that corruption is being
checked and justice is being restored. The Port Klang Free Trade Zone (PKFZ) fraud not
only will bring bad effect to the country's economic growth, public trust, the market
economy and national control systems also constitute a threat.
In our opinion, PKFZ scandal is a serious misappropriation issue. has been
involving more and more people. But as Malaysian, we are more concerned about the
responsibility as its leaders are involved in the scandal, particularly when the scandal has
caused the country to lose so much money.
Although the task force's investigation report has identified the government
officials who has seriously violated the rules, but we were disappointed that the ministry
was not represented by any official who could shed light on the many unanswered
questions regarding the issue.
The RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal as it represented a
major step backwards in public accountability and good governance. PKFZ’s
management should have known that the risk of misappropriation. PKFZ scandal caused
Malaysia’s has suffered the ignominy of the worst ranking and score in 15 years in
Transparency International (TI) Corruption Perception Index (CPI) .Therefore, good
corporate governance is very important helps to prevent corporate scandals, fraud, and
potential civil and criminal liability of the organization.
Case 2: Sime Darby suit against ex CEO and two others over Bakun
project
A recent news report states that there major projects in the sector of Sime Darby,
due to improper management of these projects led to repeated extension and cost
overruns, prompting the company to withstand up to RM 1.6 billion total loss last year.
For the coming six months, government is estimated need to allocate 900 million
provisions for the losses. Most of the losses are down to ill-advised investments in the
energy and utilities sector in Qatar as well as tardy business practices in the development
of the Bakun dam in Sarawak.
The Bakun Dam project at Sungai Balui, Sungai Rejang, Sarawak, is the largest
hydropower project in Malaysia. Sime Darby is in the midst of preparing for a civil suit
against those responsible for the company losses. Thus, Sime Darby Bhd and its three
subsidiaries have filed another civil suit against its former group chief executive Datuk
Seri Ahmad Zubir Murshid and two others for restitution of RM90.5mil relating to the
Bakun Dam project. The other two defendants are former head of the group’s energy and
utilities (E&U) division, Datuk Mohamad Shukri Baharom, and former E&U division
chief financial officer Abdul Rahim Ismail. This case reflects very badly on the
management and corporate governance of Sime Darby that lead to the losses.
In our opinion toward this case, Sime darby failed to comply the principles
of corporate governance that caused to the losses. Sime Darby management tried to hide
the losses incurred in Qatar and Bakun. The amount for cost over-runs of the projects was
much higher.
We think that Sime Darby not only against the principles of good governance but
also breached the various laws. We are also questioned how plantation-based Sime Darby
could post such huge losses when it enjoyed financial and political support from the
government. It also need to highlight that faulty corporate governance and risky
investments as factors behind Sime Darby’s historic losses.
The first rule of Corporate Governance is to have capable people who are also
competent and with integrity to manage a company. Malaysia need to take serious in the
selection of candidates to take the responsible. Besides that, awareness towards
importance of corporate governance will improve economy performance in Malaysia.
References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_governance#Principles
http://www.corporategovernancedefinition.net/
Topics/Corporate_governance/An_overview_of_corporate_governance
http://www.gdrc.org/u-gov/doc-oecd_ggov.html#Accountability
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/PUBLICSECTORANDGOVERNANCE/Resources/
AccountabilityGovernance.pdf
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pkfz-scandal-tun-dr-ling-liong-sik-or-tun-dr-mahathir-mohamed
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reference:
http://www.ehow.com/list_6523092_disadvantages-corporate-governance.html
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