LAUNCH OF iNPENANG 100TH ISSUE AND LUNCHEON
SPEECH BY THE CHIEF MINISTER OF PENANG YAB TUAN CHOW KON YEOW FOR LAUNCH OF iNPENANG 100TH ISSUE AND LUNCHEON
17 APRIL 2024 (WEDNESDAY) | 12.30PM
BALLROOM 2, ST GILES WEMBLEY HOTEL
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YB Wong Hon Wai
Penang State Executive Councillor for Tourism and Creative Economy (PETACE)
YBhg Dato’ Chng Huck Theng
Founder and Editor-in-Chief of iNPenang
YBhg Tan Sri Dato' Seri (Dr) Haji Mohd Yussof Latiff and
YBhg Puan Sri Datin Seri Suziwati
President, Persatuan Melayu Pulau Pinang (PEMENANG)
YBhg Tan Sri Tan Khoon Hai
Chairman, Penang Chinese Town Hall
YBhg Dato’ Seri Lee Teong Li
Chairman, Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers, Penang Branch (FMM Penang)
YBhg Dato’ Tony Goh
Chairman, Malaysian Association of Hotels, Penang Chapter
Mr Ramakrishna Karunagaran
Chief Executive Officer, Filmflix Studio
YBhg Dato’ Dr Ooi Kee Beng
Executive Director, Penang Institute
Dr Annuar bin Mohamed
Director, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Penang Office
Mr Shahrul Aman bin Sabir Ahmad
Regional Director, Tourism Malaysia Northern Region
Distinguished guests,
Media friends,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good afternoon to you all,
Today marks a truly special moment as we celebrate the 100th edition of the iNPenang magazine. I am filled with immense pride as I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Dato' Chng Huck Theng and the entire team behind this renowned publication. Their relentless dedication and passion have captured the very spirit of Penang—our beloved state, steeped in history with a diverse population—which is truly a balanced blend of cultures, traditions, and modernity.
Since its inception in 2006, iNPenang has served as one of most valuable resources in comprehending the state's past, present, and future initiatives. Charting Penang’s unprecedented trajectory across the globe, with a bullish outlook particularly in the manufacturing sector i.e.: the E&E and Semicon industries as well as the tourism sector. For years now, Penang, despite its petite size in comparison to other states within the nation, has without fail contributed significantly and consistently to the annual GDP growth of the nation in the past decade or so. The matter of fact, Penang even championed the inflow of investments in the nation with RM71.9 billion recorded in 2023, driven by strong foreign direct investments (FDIs) which accounts for a staggering RM61.7 billion, or 85.8% of Penang’s manufacturing investment inflows.
It is without doubt that Penang has the potential to pave the way for Malaysia to reach a high-income nation status despite rising headwinds stemming from regional geopolitics and volatile global market shares. The state possesses an edge in the E&E and semicon sector with over five decades of leadership and experience, upholding expertise in the back-end chip manufacturing (Assembly, Test, and Packaging). Not to mention, a growing base of local tech-startups in IC Design and R&D and a dynamic SME cluster to support the existing ecosystem. However, as Malaysia navigates in a region that experiences the benefits of the US-China strategic competition (China +1 policy), it is imperative that Penang take up the challenge and lead the way in exploring areas such as front-end chip manufacturing, ESG practices and compliance, as well as digitalization. Thus, propelling Malaysia forward in achieving its much awaited high-income status in a shorter period of time.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Although seeking economic growth, development and prosperity is ideal and required, it is also equally crucial that we prioritize a balanced approach to our state’s direction. The year 2018 marks a significant shift in Penang’s future directions and undertaking. Under my stewardship, the state government took bold steps to depart from an archaic mindset that enables unfortunate individuals to be suppressed from our economic flourishment and fall into the cracks of resentment. With that, we set out to launch the Penang2030 vision, a holistic initiative aimed at transforming Penang into a dynamic, inclusive, and sustainable developed state by 2030. The vision formulated is deeply rooted to the notion of people-centrism, economic inclusivity, and environmental sustainability. Therefore, envisioning a Penang, where every resident can contribute to the state's progress and flourishment. As such, iNPenang has been playing a proactive role in promoting these ideas, values, and development, acting as a catalyst for conversation, community participation, and empowerment.
To date, Penang is no longer just labeled as the economic powerhouse of the nation but as a state that puts its people first and aspires the nation to partake in a balanced development. The Penang we live in today flourishes in both economic and social development. With a multitude of projects, initiatives, and programs all under the umbrella of the Penang2030 vision. It is evident that some you may have heard of repetitively in mass media or during previous speeches!
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Moving forward from this historic milestone, let us renew our commitment to the ideas and values that distinguish us as Penangites: preserving and protecting our heritage, promoting and supporting sustainable development, and cultivating a sense of belonging among all residents.
On this note, I am delighted to congratulate iNPenang and Filmflix Studio on their collaboration to produce a compelling docu-series on Penang. This partnership represents a proactive approach to promoting our state to a wider audience, and the state government will do its very best to support iNPenang’s initiatives. We are eager to witness this publication achieve even greater heights in the years to come.
In closing, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to iNPenang for its 100 editions of excellence, recognising their commitment to journalistic integrity and community service. Here's to many more years of insightful storytelling, community engagement, and progress towards our shared vision for Penang.
Thank you and enjoy your lunch!