KUALA LUMPUR: The 2018 Budget is a step in the right direction for the nation’s digital journey thanks to the
great emphasis on efforts to digitise the manufacturing sector.
Cisco Malaysia’s Managing Director, Albert Chai said this marks the country’s pivotal shift from a labour-driven economy to a more knowledge-driven society.
“With the measures under Budget 2018, Cisco believes that Malaysian manufacturers will be better positioned to capitalise on the upcoming opportunities brought upon by digitisation.
“In its nascent stage, the combination of tax reliefs and grant allocation Smart Manufacturing facilities will incentivise more manufacturers to adopt new technologies such as automation, Big Data Analytics and robotics,” he said in a statement today.
He said digital innovation will shape the next wave of economic development in this country. But at the heart of this transformation is the people.
“I am particularly excited about the various measures aimed at developing a workforce that is future-ready. Of particular interest is the RM250 million allocation to educate the National Transformation 2050 (TN50) generation which encompasses the setting up of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) centres and improving Computer Science modules, including Coding programmes.
He adds that at the same time, SMEs should not be left behind by the wave of progress.
“We laud the government’s measure, through Digital Free Trade Zone, to ensure the participation of 1,500 SMEs in the digital economy.
“Given that the economy is largely made up of SMEs, our progress towards becoming a digital economy will be hampered if they lag behind.
“There’s never been a better time to fast track Malaysia’s digital economy and Cisco looks forward to driving this vision, in tandem with the positive measures outlined in Budget 2018.”