MTDC TO SHARE EXPERIENCE ON ADOPTION OF DIGITALISATION AND I4.0 TECHNOLOGY BY MSMES

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 21 -- Human resource issues in the area of Industry 4.0 technologies (i4.0) and adapting to COVID-19 standard practices by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to increase productivity and revenue are expected to be major discussion topics during the 14th Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP).

Malaysia Technology Development Corporation (MTDC) chief executive officer Datuk Norhalim Yunus said the programme is being held at an opportune time, especially with the economic fallout from COVID-19 when MSMEs are in survival mode, changing and rebuilding their businesses to adopt and adapt to the pandemic threat.

“In these unprecedented times, it is now extremely urgent for the MSMEs, local and foreign to expedite their adoption and adaptation on some of the i4.0 solutions and programmes that MTDC can offer such as enhancements of autonomous systems, utilisation of data analytics, and cybersecurity, to name a few,” he said.

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He said this in his welcoming remarks during the first session of the 14th MTCP programme with the title of “Accelerating the Adoption of Industry 4.0 in MSMEs and Technopreneurship Development in the New Normal Workshop 2021” for African countries.

The first workshop for the African countries that starts from today until Thursday has gathered seven participants from the African countries, namely Gambia, Ghana, and Mauritius.

The MTCP programme will be conducted in five sessions for the panel countries, consisting of countries from ASEAN, Europe and Central Asia, Middle East, Africa, South Asia and Oceania from Sept 21 to Oct 29, 2021.

Norhalim said the main objective of the programme is to share Malaysia’s development experience with other developing countries so that they could impart whatever knowledge in order to assist them with their own development efforts.

“Malaysia, through the MTCP, remains committed to South-South Cooperation which is an important element of international cooperation for development that offers viable opportunities for developing countries in their individual and collective pursuit of sustained economic growth and to raise their level of development,” he said.

He noted that the workshop is seen to be a platform to promote new business opportunities through bilateral market access for companies within the MTDC ecosystem, and also acts as potential collaborations with the participating countries.

Elaborating on the MTCP, Norhalim said today’s event is another testimony of MTDC’s commitment to support the government’s effort in spearheading technology businesses in Malaysia as the country forges its way towards becoming a developed nation.

He explained that the MTCP programme is a continuous effort by the Malaysian government to foster closer relationships among the participating countries with the objective of wealth creation in knowledge sharing, innovations and experiences, mainly in the field of technology development, transfer, commercialisation and i4.0.

-- BERNAMA