Terengganu students develop awareness and understanding of Industry 4.0
via ACES Web App Pilot Programme
TERENGGANU, 26 JULY 2021: The East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC) is optimistic about achieving its 2021 investment targets for the state of Terengganu by year end. As at 30 June 2021, ECERDC has managed to attract RM2.7 billion of its targeted RM3.9 billion in committed investments into Terengganu. This is anticipated to result in the creation of a total of 3,040 new jobs and 214 entrepreneurial opportunities for the rakyat in Terengganu.
“Following the encouraging investment numbers thus far for 2021, ECERDC will continue its efforts to ensure on-going projects and initiatives such as infrastructure works and human capital development programmes are implemented as planned in strengthening the state’s attraction as an investment destination,” said En Baidzawi Che Mat, Chief Executive Officer of ECERDC, following the ECER Implementation and Coordination Committee (ICC) Terengganu meeting chaired by YAB Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar.
At the meeting, the YAB Menteri Besar urged all parties to continue efforts to attract new investments into Terengganu, especially into the development of Kuala Terengganu City Centre (KTCC) and Kerteh Biopolymer Park. He further said that the State Government is committed to support the agrofood@ECER initiative which is being planned by ECERDC, especially the Terengganu Dairy Valley project, Coconut Cultivation, Livestock Feed and Fertigation projects, so that the agricultural sector can contribute to the continued economic development of the state.
ATTRACTING INVESTMENTS INTO STRATEGIC GROWTH SECTORS
ECERDC is steadily pushing forward in its efforts to promote further investments into the region especially in oil, gas and petrochemical sector. Despite not being able to lead overseas investment missions or hold physical events, ECERDC has organised three webinars in the first half of 2021 to engage with and attract international investors. These include the “Investment Opportunities in the East Coast Economic Region for Petrochemical and Automotive Industries” webinar with the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), “Malaysia: The Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Hub for ASEAN” webinar, in collaboration with trade representatives from the Russian Federation, and the “Investment Opportunities in Life Sciences and Medical Technology in ECER” webinar.
These investment webinars saw over 900 potential investors participating. More webinars are in the pipeline for 2021 to attract investors into other key economic sectors in Terengganu, such as agriculture, tourism and bio-energy.
The expansion works for Phases 3 and 4 are underway at the Kerteh Biopolymer Park, an integrated industrial park that will position the state as a major player in bio-industry, while Phases 1 and 2 are nearing full occupancy. Its competitive edge lies in its easy accessibility to raw materials for the sector. The Park has attracted RM5.4 billion in committed investments since its launch and has created over 6,000 employment opportunities.
HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT
Key to raising the socio-economic well-being or the rakyat in ECER is human capital development. ECERDC will continue to implement its human capital development programmes to ensure all segments of society have access to the opportunities being created in ECER.
To assist the rakyat in ECER who are affected by the pandemic, ECERDC implemented numerous Reskilling and Upskilling Programmes. These programmes helped graduates gain new skills which enabled them to find employment. In Terengganu, a total of 1,135 participants have been trained and of that number, 943 have been offered jobs where they enjoy an income of between RM1,400 – RM4,000 per month.
One of the beneficiaries of the PENJANA-ECERDC reskilling and upskilling programme is Mohamad Syauqi Mohamad Fadeli. He had been a contract worker in the OGP sector and had lost his jobs twice during the pandemic. However, after participating in the programme and gaining Rope Access certification, he has been rehired by the same company that had let him go.
Meanwhile, participants of the empower ECER-Academic programme in Terengganu has recorded a remarkable passing rate of 98%, which is higher than national average of 89% in the recent 2020 SPM. Another feather in the cap was the increase of students achieving a minimum of 5As in SPM increased to 9% from 1% previously, despite the challenges presented by the pandemic and home-study.
Among the 1197 participants of the empower ECER-Academic programme is Sam Li Chin of SMK Putra, Besut scored 9As in SPM 2020. At first, Li Chin who previously scored 4B, 4C, 1E, 2G, before joining the programme found online studies difficult to follow due to a lack of digital device and poor connectivity. However, with the empower ECER-Academic programme, Sam found the lessons very interesting which motivated her to work hard and achieve excellent results.
Apart from the academic training programme, ECERDC also facilitates efforts to ensure placement in institutions of higher learning or skills development for its empower ECER students. In addition, ECERDC, via empower ECER and entrepreneur ECER continues to support microentrepreneurs and SMEs to survive the new reality by providing training to help them switch to e-commerce platforms to keep their businesses afloat. At the same time, between January and May 2021, a total of 156 existing entrepreneurs in Terengganu received loans from Maybank and Agrobank amounting to RM4.2 million under the entrepreneur ECER programme to strengthen their businesses, while 94 others are undergoing product quality development with SIRIM in preparation to penetrate a broader market.
SURPRISE ZOOM VISIT BY TERENGGANU YAB MB FOR ACES WEB APP PILOT PROGRAMME PARTICIPANTS
To prepare the rakyat in Terengganu for the jobs of tomorrow, the ACES Web App Pilot Programme involving more than 3,100 students across the ECER commenced recently to create awareness of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) among students and equip talents in ECER with skills and knowledge to tackle the demands of the future.
The ACES Web App Pilot Programme is being delivered through a series of webinars targeting SPM graduates under the empower ECER programme across ECER states and is currently running until 31 July 2021.
Participants from Terengganu received a pleasant surprise when the YAB Menteri Besar dropped in on their Zoom session after chairing the ICC Terengganu Meeting, where he also received a briefing on the pilot programme. YAB Menteri Besar was pleased that the preliminary result showed that the pilot programme was effective in instilling I4.0 knowledge among the participants.
He gave the participants some words of encouragement and took the opportunity to highlight the importance of adapting to new systems and technology as these will have a great impact on jobs of the future. He commended the participants on their participation and urged them to continue equipping themselves with the relevant technology and knowledge on I4.0 in order to contribute to the development of the state in the future.
Approximately 740 participants and 12 trainers across six locations in Terengganu namely Kemaman, Dungun, Hulu Terengganu, Marang, Setiu and Besut are involved in the pilot programme, which will take place over a period of three weeks.
INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS PROCEEDING AS PLANNED
While the pandemic has affected the short-term economic progress of the state, investing into strategic infrastructure projects is key to enabling economic recovery and long-term growth
Among them is the construction of headlands on the coast of Teluk Lipat, Dungun. Construction of Headland 5, including Revetment as well as Beach Nourishment are on schedule to be completed prior to the monsoon season this year. This ensures the coastal road will be protected from being damaged by wave erosion during monsoon season.
Another infrastructure project that is proceeding as planned is the upgrading of the Solar Hybrid Power System at Pulau Kapas, an island tourism destination. The Hybrid Power System project is expected to be completed in September and will provide clean, sustainable alternative energy to fulfil the need for the islands.
agrofood@ECER
ECERDC will continue to drive agrofood@ECER initiative to address food security concern of the nation. Amongst its initiative is the ECER Dairy Valley which aims to raise the country’s Self-sufficiency Level (SSL) of fresh milk by 40% in order to reduce dependence on imported milk. The goal is to develop a strong value chain encompassing upstream and downstream activities, including the development of milk processing centres. In this way, ECERDC aims to create employment opportunities for local residents as well as entrepreneurship opportunities in the dairy industry as Satellite Farmers, home dealerships, and animal feed suppliers.
Another high potential agribusiness is breeding livestock. ECERDC’s feasibility study shows that certain cattle breeds such as Charolais, Limousin and Belgian Blue can provide 7.5 times the value of local cattle.
CONCLUSION
“ECERDC’s close collaboration with Federal and State government agencies has resulted in the inflow of committed investments into the state this year. We are optimistic of hitting our committed investment target for 2021 and we remain focused on our long-term goals and efforts to realise the committed investment as set out in EMP2.0. The on-going ACES Web App Pilot Programme has been well received by participants and it is indeed beneficial to be extended to students elsewhere,” concluded En. Baidzawi.
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About ECER and ECERDC
The East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC) is a statutory body established to spearhead the execution and implementation of the East Coast Economic Region (ECER) Master Plan. ECERDC plays a lead role in setting the directions, policies and strategies for the socio-economic development of ECER by promoting and facilitating investments into the Region.
ECER, which covers the states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and the district of Mersing in Johor, is a rapidly transforming region that is steadily positioning itself as a distinctive, dynamic and competitive destination for investments.
Geographically, it covers a total area of over 66,000 sq km or 51% of Peninsular Malaysia. It is home to some 4.8 million people, or about 15% of the total national population. The economic growth in the Region is driven by six key economic clusters, namely Tourism, Oil, Gas & Petrochemical, Manufacturing, Agribusiness, Human Capital and Entrepreneurship Development as well as Logistics and Services. These clusters are supported by developments in Transportation, Infrastructure, Property and Environment to make the Region an ideal destination for business, investments and quality living.
For media inquiries, kindly contact:
Tengku Mazlinda Tengku Mahmood
Manager, Media Relations
East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC)
Tel: 010-408 1085
email: mazlinda@ecerdc.com.my