International Legal and Ethical Issues in Business - Essay Example

Every now and then, the Environmental Council is giving regular and proactive sessions to give information and raise awareness about environmental protection in businesses and homes. Furthermore, they also implemented environmental reporting wherein companies of different sectors are encouraged to disclose environmental information in their annual reports. Through this scheme, it would be easy for the government to recognize those companies that are not serious in doing their part in order to increase environmental awareness.

Malaysia is one of the countries in East Asia that is very committed and willing to intensify their environmental regulation (Perry & Singh, 2001). Just like Singapore, Malaysia is also experiencing environmental hazards like air, water, and grease contamination brought by their economic growth particularly by manufacturing and industrialization. One of the best illustrations is the country’s Environmental Quality (Amendment) Act of 1996 that regulates the dumping of hazardous wastes and pollution control.

They are also using environmental reporting to promote and improve environmental awareness among businesses by making them more committed and voluntarily communicate their environmental activities. This scheme is highly considered by the government as part of their regulatory practices, and companies on the other hand have accepted the obligation and expanded their responsibilities to the environment. The scheme become widespread considering that the number of participating companies especially those environmentally sensitive industries are increasing (“The State,” n.d.).

This only proved that Malaysia’s environmental regulation is effective and is strictly implemented. Singapore and Malaysia’s environmental measures are sufficient considering that they give some positive results, such as companies in different sectors are becoming more transparent in their compliance with environmental regulations through environmental reporting. Also, these companies have come to believe that being an environmentally-driven company would give them more profit considering that regulation could bring cost savings (Perry & Singh, 2001).

Through this scheme companies have been more willing to pay for environmental improvements, and learned to protect and preserve the environment through “energy efficiency schemes, waste reduction strategies or the improved design and recyclability of their products” (“An Introduction,” n.d.). Singapore and Malaysia: Wage and Working-Hour Legislation According to the Employment Act of Singapore, the minimum working hours for workers is eight hours a day or a maximum of forty-four hours in one week in absence of agreement (“Employment Act,” n.d.).

In addition, “Singapore has no minimum wage or unemployment benefits” (Global Investment & Business Center, 2008, p. 46). Workers are paid at least once a month subject to employer-employee negotiation and on what has been stipulated in the employment contract. On the other hand, according to the Employment Act 1955 of Malaysia, the minimum working hours for workers is 8 hours a day and not more than 48 hours in one week with a rest of 30 minutes every after 5 consecutive hours