Naroden touches the crystal ball as the launch gimmick for the event, as Hallman (left), Rosey (second left) and others look on. — Photos by Muhammad Rais Sanusi
KUCHING: Sarawak needs to leapfrog to embrace the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0) and the digital age to achieve its goal of becoming a developed state by 2030.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said making the shift to Industry 4.0 would be a big challenge, but Sarawak must respond positively to change or the state would be left behind.
“We don’t have the luxury of time to go through the steps of fully adopting IR2 and then IR3 before taking on Industry 4.0 (which uses cyber-physical systems such as machines and robotics controlled by automation systems with minimal input from human operators).
“This is where our SMEs (small and medium enterprises), and our youths in particular, must be ready to adopt Industry 4.0 to be competitive in this globalised world. We have to connect to the world so as to expand our markets beyond our borders,” he said in his speech read by Assistant Minister of E-Commerce Datuk Mohd Naroden Majais.
Abang Johari also said industries in the state must take advantage of emerging technologies such as big data and analytics to enable their move towards Industry 4.0.
“I am happy to inform that some of the companies in Sama Jaya High Tech Park in Kuching are well-positioned to migrate to Industry 4.0 and the government is committed to facilitating them,” he said.
Abang Johari was represented by Naroden – also Assistant Minister of Entrepreneur and SME Development – at the launch of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 Initiatives in Sarawak by the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF) at a hotel here yesterday.
The chief minister also said the state government supports the efforts by HRDF to promote the adoption of Industry 4.0 and the up-skilling, re-skilling and multi-skilling of the Malaysian workforce for this new revolution.
“Today’s launch of Industry 4.0 initiatives by HRDF in this state is another boost towards our efforts to propel Sarawak to a brighter future. We will also witness the introduction of the Industrial Based Certification Programme (INBASE), allowing funds for ICT Adoption and Big Data for employers and potential employees.
“We laud the collaboration between Penang Skills Development Centre under the Ministry of Human Resources and Knowledgecom Corporation to establish the centres of excellence in technology (CoETs), which include Sarawak Skills Development Centre (PPKS) and Politeknik Kuching Sarawak (PKS) — to train our current and future workers so that they would be prepared for Industry 4.0,” he said.
Adding that he believed the CoETs would provide very good programmes, Abang Johari commended HRDF for taking a leading role in preparing the Malaysian workforce for jobs of the future.
“I believe that, aside from providing the infrastructure and policies that support Industry 4.0, it is crucial for employers and employees alike to change their mindset and prepare themselves.
“This is where strategic partners, such as HRDF, come in. I hope that Sarawakians would take advantage of the various ways in which they could get themselves ready for Industry 4.0,” he said.
As such, Abang Johari called upon all Sarawakians to take the bold step towards Industry 4.0, as well as to be active participants and proponents of a more dynamic and economically-strong Malaysia.
The event also hosted Assistant Minister of Women, Family and Childhood Development Rosey Yunus, Human Resources Ministry deputy secretary general Amir Omar, HRDF chief executive officer Datuk CM Vignaesvaran Jeyandran and PPKS executive director Hallman Sabri.
Naroden (fourth left) with (from third left) Vignaesvaran, Rosey, Amir, Hallman and others show their thumbs-up for the launch of Industrial Revolution 4.0 Initiatives in Sarawak by the HRDF.