09 getting the manufacturing INDUSTRY READY T he rapidly-evolving global manufacturing landscape calls for manufacturing firms to re-evaluate their current approaches and strategies to remain relevant and competitive. This Policy, in essence, outlines 13 broad strategies for Malaysia to embark on a journey that will transform the manufacturing industry landscape over the next decade. MITI believes that this journey towards Industry 4.0 adoption is anchored on three shift factors: People, Process and Technology. People: putting people and the entire organisation as a priority. This Policy focuses on strategies towards creating differentiated talent acquisition, developing the required human capital and retaining our existing talents by providing them with the right support. Process: improving the manufacturing and the whole business processes by encouraging smart and strategic public-private partnerships. We remain committed to ensuring the manufacturing sector continues to contribute significantly to the nation’s economic prosperity. To propel this further, we are working towards improving the business environment to reform unfavourable or overly-bureaucratic policies, attracting high value investments for greater economic development and strengthening the overall infrastructure for the manufacturing sector, while seeking greater partnerships with the industry. Technology: advancement and convergence of technologies are increasingly underpinning global manufacturing competitiveness. We acknowledge that many leading manufacturing firms have started to adopt and implement smart manufacturing solutions where advanced hardware are now combined with advanced software, sensors as well as data analytics. This move has resulted in smarter products, processes, and more closely connected customers and suppliers along the firms’ value chains. The Government’s role in the whole transformation process is as an enabler, as such, this Policy is aimed at ensuring the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies is done as seamless as possible, and that those technologies are equally accessible to SMEs. We would also like to see greater leverage on the strength of ecosystem partnerships beyond traditional manufacturing boundaries. These strategies which are aimed at embracing a broader ecosystem approach as well as developing and taking advantage of integrated manufacturing and technology clusters and partners, are key determinants in moving forward. We need to develop a balanced approach across the whole ecosystem as increasingly sophisticated tools and strategies will be required to optimise the manufacturing industry from talent, technological, operational, financial, tax and regulatory perspectives. This Policy is not a panacea to all issues surrounding the industry. What we are hopeful for is for it to provide the basis and support for firms to do things differently in order to stay competitive. For that to happen, the Government hopes that the Policy would serve as the impetus for our industry to make the leap into Industry 4.0. DATUK ISHAM ISHAK Secretary General Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Malaysia ATTRACT • CREATE • TRANSFORM