THE SHIP CAMPUS TOP-UP CEREMONY

SPEECH BY YAB CHOW KON YEOW, CHIEF MINISTER OF PENANG

FOR THE SHIP CAMPUS TOP-UP CEREMONY

AT THE SHIP CAMPUS, BATU KAWAN INDUSTRIAL PARK

30 AUG 2019

 

A very good morning to all of you.

Firstly, I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to PKT Logistics Group Sdn. Bhd. for inviting me here today. A year ago, I had the pleasure to launch the longest and biggest single storey warehouse in Malaysia, and now, I feel greatly honoured and privileged to have been asked to grace the Ship Campus Top Up Ceremony, by the leading logistics company in Malaysia!

The Penang State Government is cognizant of the importance of education for the social and economic development of the nation. As such, following the success of The 12 Waves, The Penang State Government is extremely pleased that PKT Logistics Group through their education arm, Peninsula College will be adding value in knowledge and talent development through their soon to be completed campus.

I have been informed that this campus is able to accommodate over 5,000 students and will be collaborating with the University of Plymouth from the United Kingdom (UK).

Ladies and gentlemen,  

       

To me, the students of today hold the key to our nation’s future. The support for the development of their mental, physical and emotional growth is crucial and extremely important. It starts with providing them the best resources to excel, especially in the phase of one’s tertiary education as it as a critical phase that will shape his or her direction in life for the coming years.

 

Learning and development can no longer operate and continue as usual. The increased adoption of Industry 4.0, artificial intelligence and robotics means our students will now have to prepare for jobs that may differ from or may not even exist 10 years ago.

They will also no longer study in silos or limit learning to the four corners of their campus. Today, they will be learning on the job and connect with start-ups, business incubators, and also accelerators. Graduates today must be industry-ready-and-driven and be equipped with the skills to manoeuvre through the corporate world. It is, therefore, timely for the rise of international and world-class institutions of learning here in Penang as we aim to develop the future generations to stay abreast with the industrial revolution.

This, in fact, is the very reason that the state government came up with Vision Penang2030 last year, a vision which I envisaged for Penang in the coming 10 years and how Penangites shall be well-equipped to adapt to the challenges which lie ahead. Industry 4.0 comes with its own set of new and diverse challenges to our existing industries and for Penang to not only survive but to emerge unscathed as well as to capture the next wave of prosperity, it is of vital importance that our workforce receive the necessary training they deserve to remain not only competitive but to rise up the value chain.

This explains the need for each and every one of us with a stake in Vision Penang2030 to upgrade the economy to raise household incomes. The state government is ever ready to prepare the incentives and policy guidelines while the industrialists can complement the state through the much-needed technology know-how, staff training and investments because ultimately, Penang wins when its stakeholders receive their well-deserved share of the economic pie which comes with Industry 4.0.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Presently, Penang has more than 45 years of industrial experience and almost 300,000 personnel employed in the manufacturing industries. Many industrial parks have been developed to accommodate the manufacturing and support services activities of the state.

Batu Kawan, as we know it has undergone a transformation from an agricultural estate into a technology and future-focused industrial zone. Batu Kawan is also the third largest industrial park in approved investment inflow; constituting to about 14% of the entire approved manufacturing investments in 2017 and 2018 respectively (Source: Penang Monthly Aug 2019).

Looking ahead, I am positive that we will be able to support and excel the growth of these industries with a steady flow of local and high-quality talent through such efforts like here today.

Prior to this, the Penang State Government was briefed by the senior management team from PKT led by its Group CEO, Dato’ Michael Tio. I am happy to say that I was informed that works for The Ship Campus is on track and it will be ready by early 2020. What a way to start the New Year!

Lastly, I would like to congratulate PKT Logistics for this significant milestone in tertiary education excellence in Penang. We look forward to strengthening the local talent pool as well as the partnership between PKT Logistics and Penang for further success and excellence. 

Thank you.