FMM-USM CEO FORUM 2019
KEY-NOTE ADDRESS BY CHIEF MINISTER OF PENANG
AT FMM-USM CEO FORUM 2019
“EMPOWERING MALAYSIANS FOR SMART & SUSTAINABLE FUTURE”
5 SEPTEMBER 2019
DTSP, USM, PENANG
A very good morning to all of you.
First of all, I would like to thank the organizer for successfully organizing the FMM-USM CEO Forum 2019 with the presence of such a huge crowd. It is indeed commendable that FMM Penang has chosen “Empowering Malaysians for Smart & Sustainable Future” as your theme for this year’s CEO Forum. A sustainable future lies in our hands - yours and mine. And together by having all stakeholders working closely with the state government, I believe we can sustain our shared future for generations to come.
In fact, Vision Penang2030 which I launched last year with its four major themes encompassing – our quality of life, the upgrading of our economy, empowering the people and investing in the built environment – complements the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, it is a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for everyone in this planet now and into the future. The goals and targets of the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda, collectively known as the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), are adopted by the Penang state government in partnership with UN Habitat. Once we realise our ambitions across the full extent of the Agenda, our lives will be profoundly improved and our world as well as Penang, for that matter, will be transformed to be better.
Given such a high level of importance attached to the sustainability of our future, it is indeed a pleasure to see so many young minds in this forum investing your precious time to learn how to do it.
I observe that the FMM Penang has been actively pursuing your mission to nurture young minds. In the previous CEO Forums in 2015 and 2017, many students from our Universiti Sains Malaysia and various secondary schools in Penang were given the golden opportunity to attend these forums.
From today’s forum, FMM is also donating a sum of RM200,000.00 to the Penang Future Foundation for the deserving underprivileged students. On behalf of the State Government, I wish to express my heartfelt appreciation to FMM Penang’s sponsors.
I wish to encourage deserving students to apply for scholarships under the Penang Future Foundation to further your studies. The Penang Future Foundation is an initiative by the Penang State Government to develop and retain our talents. We award scholarships for outstanding and deserving Malaysian students to pursue undergraduate studies in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Accountancy. Upon completion of their studies, the scholars are bonded to work in any organisation of their choice in Penang. As the scholars are required to undergo internship in Penang companies to ensure industry readiness, industry players are invited to participate in the Panel Interview for the selection of scholars.
Penang has a lot to offer to the local as well as the foreign investors. We are known as the Silicon Valley of the East and the manufacturing hub for the E & E sector. Penang is home to more than 300 multinational manufacturing companies. We are in need of more human talents like you here to serve and to make Penang a wonderful and excellent place for work and play.
Ladies & Gentlemen
Today’s youth are the leaders of tomorrow! Good leaders must have the right attitude and initiative to learn. Learning is a lifelong task for everyone. Not only the youth, but all of us must continue to learn and develop ourselves every day. The day we stop learning is when we cease to be among the living on earth! If we do not keep ourselves updated on what is happening around us, we will be left behind in the global race, resulting in economic backwardness and even poverty. A good and effective leader must have the hunger for knowledge and be aware of the changes around him.
Today, everyone is talking about Industry 4.0. We need today’s youth to prepare themselves to face the 4th Industrial Revolution or Industry 4.0, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT) automation and other technological advancements that are expected to change the way things are done.
Our youths must have noble ideas to remain competitive and capable of taking on the rest of the world while upholding good values and principles. The youth must work hard and have pride and passion in their work. With these good qualities in you, the world is your oyster!
Ladies & Gentlemen
Without further ado, it is now my pleasure to officially declare the FMM-USM CEO Forum 2019 open. I wish you all a stimulating, meaningful, and fruitful deliberation!
Thank you.