MONITOR ERP SYSTEM USER SEMINAR & 10TH ANNIVERSARY
SPEECH BY YAB TUAN CHOW KON YEOW
THE CHIEF MINISTER OF PENANG
MONITOR ERP SYSTEM USER SEMINAR
& 10TH ANNIVERSARY
8TH November 2023
His Excellency Dr Joachim Bergström
Ambassador of Sweden to Malaysia
Mr Jörgen Persson
Owner of Monitor ERP Group
Mr Morgan Persson
Group CEO of Monitor ERP
Mr Daniel Haggmark
CEO of Monitor ERP Southeast Asia
Representatives from the Industry and Government Agencies,
Distinguished Guests,
Members of the Press,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Selamat Datang, Welcome, or Välkommen to all of you.
It is with immense pleasure and honour that I stand before you today at the Monitor ERP System User Seminar and 10th Anniversary celebration. Some of you may recall our last gathering in 2019 when we celebrated the launch of Monitor G5 and the opening of Monitor ERP's new office at Straits Quay here in Penang. At that time, Monitor ERP had a humble staff of 30, and to witness your remarkable growth, with nearly 100 employees today, is truly inspiring.
It is indeed always a pleasure to witness international companies like Monitor ERP flourishing and expanding right here in Penang. And on behalf of the Penang State Government, I extend our heartfelt appreciation to Monitor ERP for choosing Penang as your ASEAN operations hub. Congratulations on your remarkable growth in Malaysia and the region.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Penang State Government is fully committed to transforming our beloved Penang into an international smart city and the state of choice for investors, tourists, and those seeking sustainable living. One of our key strategies in achieving this goal is to cultivate a diverse and robust state economy, with manufacturing and service sectors playing a pivotal role.
We aim to harness the power of our innovative and sophisticated manufacturing and services sectors to match global standards. Penang's moniker as the "Silicon Valley of the East" is well-deserved, and it is not just because of the presence of multinational giants but also the strong network of local SMEs that support and drive their success.
We take immense pride in hosting over 3,000 manufacturing SMEs in Penang, collectively attracting significant manufacturing investments totalling RM110 billion from 2019 to 2022, with a record-breaking RM76 billion in 2021.
On the trade front, Penang has been a significant player in the country's external trade. In 2022, we reached an all-time high of RM463 billion in total exports, with a remarkable 5-year compound annual growth rate of 15%. According to the latest statistics, Penang remained Malaysia's top exporter in September 2023, with a 34.6% share of the nation's total exports of RM124.5 billion.
These achievements align seamlessly with our vision for Penang in the years to come. We are determined to uplift the economy and raise household incomes, and this goal necessitates preparing our local manufacturing industries for the digital age and the emerging green economy.
As the Chief Minister, I have made a firm commitment to promote Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) growth within the state. This commitment is embodied in the establishment of the Penang Green Industry Programme, led by the Penang Green Council (PGC). Our overarching goal is to transform Penang into a vibrant hub for green manufacturing, fostering collaboration between small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and multinational corporations (MNCs).
We are working diligently to facilitate the green transition of local SMEs by creating collaborative platforms through public-private partnerships, underpinned by well-conceived policies and knowledge-sharing initiatives. With these concerted efforts, I am optimistic that we are well on our way to realizing our shared Penang2030 vision, of 'A Family-Focused Green and Smart State that Inspires the Nation.'
Distinguished Guests,
Sweden, with its vast experience and expertise in innovation and productivity, is a remarkable partner in our journey towards Industry 4.0 and the green economy. Sustainability is at the forefront of the global agenda, and Penang is no exception. Sweden, a global leader in sustainability rankings, is an excellent partner to support our progress in line with Malaysia’s national ESG goals outlined in the newly released iESG framework by MITI.
Earlier today, you had the opportunity to witness the launch of Monitor ERP’s innovative new functionality, “Sustainability by Monitor”. This groundbreaking feature allows manufacturers to perform sustainability calculations and measure the climate impact of their manufacturing activities down to the component level. This not only ensures readiness and competitiveness, especially for those exporting to Europe, but it also aligns with the growing demand for ESG reporting and contributes to more sustainable and responsible production.
In this era of increasing importance of digital and sustainable manufacturing practices, I strongly encourage all companies, particularly SMEs, to embrace technological advancements and innovations positively. Events like this, which promote collaboration between Swedish industry experts and local manufactures, play a vital role in adapting to the demands of the global market through sustainable models and technologies.
On that note, I would like to once again congratulate Monitor for your success in Malaysia, and extend my deepest gratitude to you for choosing Penang as your base and for your commitment to leading us in our digital and sustainability journey. I look forward to seeing more SMEs transitioning their businesses in Penang in the near future.
With that, thank you all, and may our collective efforts continue to propel Penang to even greater heights.