Miti expects SMEs grasp Industry 4.0 concept by year-end

KOTA BARU,: The Ministry of International Trade and Industry (Miti) is targeting the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to grasp the Industry 4.0 concept latest by the end of this year.
Deputy Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan (pix) said this was in line with the government's aspiration to start applying the elements contained in Industry 4.0 to the industry players next year.
"The level of understanding by the SMEs on Industry 4.0 is still low currently which is why its implementation is also low. We hope the infrastructure towards Industry 4.0 could be provided by the industry players next year.
"Hence, the government through Miti will organise various seminars to explain on the importance of Industry 4.0 to all entrepreneurs especially the SMEs in the country so that they would not be left behind and are capable of competing at the global level," he said.
He said this to reporters after launching product rebranding by Syarikat Wau Tradisi Enterprise at the SME Bank Entrepreneur Premises Complex at the Pengkalan Chepa Industrial Area here, today.
Present were Syarikat Wau Tradisi Enterprise Manager, Mohd Anazim Adnan, Miti East Region Director, Nik Mohd Fahim Muhaimin and Malaysia Productivity Corporation Kelantan Manager, Nik Faizal Nik Ahmad.
Ahmad said currently there are 907,065 SMEs, out of which 5.3 per cent or 48,075 companies are involved in the manufacturing industry.
He said Industry 4.0 involved smart services such as smart home, smart factory and smart logistics service, usage of Internet of Things, Big Data Analytics and Cloud Computing, as well as, machinery and sophisticated robotics.
Meanwhile, Nik Mohd Fahim said Miti East Region would hold a "Meet the Customers Day" gathering in November for the SMEs from Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and east Johor to, among others, brief and educate the companies on Industry 4.0.
He said the briefing was important so that the industry players could understand and increase their awareness on the industrial revolution that is happening at the global level at present. — Bernama