RAWANG: The Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) hopes to announce the National Industry 4.0 policy framework before mid-year, said Deputy Minister Datuk Chua Tee Yong.
He said the framework, currently at the last stage of drafting, would be announced by the MITI Minister, Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.
“It’s in the progress. We try to avoid the framework form being just a government-driven agenda, so there is a lot of engagement being done with the industry players, including the small and medium enterprises.
“The input process took a while for us (MITI) to formulate. We are hopefully try to hit before middle of this year,” he told reporters after visiting Saiyakaya (M) Sdn Bhd’s factory yesterday.
To recap, Mustapa said, the ministry was coordinating five working groups, involving various ministries, in drafting the National Industry 4.0 policy framework.
The ministries are the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Ministry of Human Resources, Ministry of Higher Education, Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia.
“After the framework is tabled in Parliament, the government will decide which ministry will drive the implementation of the National Industry 4.0,” he said.
On trade performance, Chua said, the 2018 would register a positive growth but not as strong as 2017.
He said the excellent 2017 results, which saw the export figures registering a consistent double-digit growth, created a higher base for this year.
“Nevertheless, with the initiatives that the government is looking at (on enhancing trade) will play a role in assisting Malaysia (to continue post growth).
“We believe that to hit a (month-on-month) double-digit growth will be challenging. It will be single-digit growth,” he added.
In November 2017, Malaysia’s total trade surged by 14.8 per cent to RM157.05 billion compared with the corresponding month of last year.
During the period, exports rose by 14.4 per cent to RM83.5 billion, the highest monthly export value ever recorded after the RM82.62 billion registered in March 2017 while imports surged by 15.2 per cent to RM73.55 billion.
Trade surplus amounted to RM9.95 billion, the 241st consecutive month of trade surplus since November 1997.
On monthly basis, total trade, exports and imports rose by 1.9 per cent, 1.5 per cent and 2.4per cent respectively.
For the first eleven months of 2017, the total trade grew by 20.8 per cent year-on-year to RM1.622 trillion, with exports totalling RM856.05 billion (up 20.4 per cent) and imports at RM766.07 billion (up 21.2 per cent).
Trade surplus was recorded at RM89.98 billion, higher by 13.6 per cent compared to the corresponding period a year ago. — Bernama