New
Industrial Master Plan NIMP 2030 – Tech Up for for Digitally Vibrant Nation
Mission based NIMP 2030 was launched by YAB Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on 1st Sept.
There are 4 Missions, 4 Enablers, 21 Strategies, 62 Action
Plans, Covers 21 Sectors, Addressing 12 key challenges, capitalising on 3 key
trends to drive high impact growth.
The target is to increase value-added GDP from RM 364.1 bil
to RM 567.5 bil, Employ 3.3 mil persons from 2.7 mil and achieve median salary
increase from RM 1,976 to RM 4,510
The 4 Missions are :
1) Advance Economic Complexity
2) Tech up for a digitally vibrant nation
3) Push for Net Zero
4) Safeguard Economic
security and inclusivity
In the recent Technology and Innovation Report 2023, by
UNCTAD39, which assessed the global readiness for frontier technologies,
Malaysia is ranked 32nd among 166 countries and fifth in Asia. This is
contributed by the industry’s adoption and adaptation of frontier technologies
and access to finance the technologies.
The Industry4WRD policy was introduced in 2018 to accelerate
Malaysia’s manufacturing sector’s digitalisation journey. The aim was to
transform the manufacturing sector and MRS to adopt Industry 4.0 technologies
in order to increase the level of labour productivity, elevate contribution of
manufacturing to the economy, strengthen innovation capacity and capability and
increase the number of highskilled workers in the manufacturing sector. Despite
the efforts undertaken, the performance of the manufacturing sector has not
shown significant improvement.
The growth rate of Malaysia’s labour productivity has slowed
down in the last three decades and this decline was further exacerbated by the
COVID-19 pandemic. This is attributed to prolonged use of low-skilled labours,
relatively low innovation and low technology adoption in the manufacturing
industry.
It is imperative for companies to adopt digitalisation and
shift away from low-skilled labour. This is to increase labour productivity and
create more high-skilled jobs for the industry. With the changing global
landscape, it is no longer sufficient to merely go digital; the future growth
of Malaysia hinges on the organisations’ ability to embrace a digital mindset
and fully embody digital capabilities across all aspects of the manufacturing
processes.
Key Highlights related to Industry 4.0
1.
Enhancement of Industrty4wrd
a.
To equip industry with fundamentals to embrace
digitalisation
b.
Enhancing the scope of Readiness Assessment and
Intervention Fund programmes to include follow-through technology
implementation
c.
Collaborate with capital market and Financial
Institutions to fund technology adoption
2.
Target to create 3,000 smart factories
3.
Average broadband speed to be targeted at
116.03mbps and access to fibre connectivity to 7.74 million premises under
Jendela initiatives
4.
Introduce multi-tiered levy mechanism for
low-skilled labour to accelerate automation example higher levy charges on
foreign low-skilled workers ; tailored levy rates based on sector yet will be
implemented gradually.
5.
Introduce automation condition in new
manufacturing license. It will be done
is a phased approached but SMEs are advised to be prepared and ready for it.
6.
Nurture local technology solution providers to
support technology adoption programme. Solutions Providers will be introduced ,
promoted and connected especially to the SMEs via Industry4wrd programmes
Yap Keng Teck
Head of Smart4wrd