Greetings for 2018 from MASSA Secretariat !

The 1st quarter of 2018 has swiftly flown past.  In this edition, we are pleased to bring you an article  from H.E. Manuel Balaguer Salas, Ambassador of Argentina to Malaysia highlighting Argentina as a preferred destination for business with Latin America.  Argentina has a highly diversified economy with the services sector contributing more than 50% to its GDP.  Its agriculture produce and downstream products are well known globally.  Bi-lateral commerce and trade with Malaysia has diversified and has been steadily increasing, especially in the halal sector. H.E. Ambassador Manuel Balaguer Salas and his Commercial Officer, Ms Lier Wei Qi would be pleased to hear from you.

The Honorable Minister for National Planning and Monitoring, Papua New Guinea, Mr Richard Maru, MP together with a delegation that included the Honorable Minister of Immigration, Mr Petrus Thomas, MP visited MASSA and met MASSA’s President, Tan Sri Azman Hashim and members on 18 April 2018.

The Minister’s programme in Malaysia included meeting their counterparts in Government and with our private sector that included MASSA.  The Minister highlighted investment opportunities in the following areas:- Banking & Financial Sector, especially Micro & SME Sectors, Property & Real Estate Sector, especially Hotel Development, Fishery & Forestry – downstream processing, Telecommunication Sector and Green & Renewable Energy Sector. 
  

MASSA together with FMM will be organising a business mission to Papua New Guinea from 4 to 8 August 2018.  Look out for our news on this visit.  We look forward to your participation on this mission.

In line with the current technological transformation brought on by the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Industry 4.0, we are witnessing how technology and the internet are transforming the way we live and work. 

MASSA together with MAJECA, co-organised a technical visit to Inari Amertron Berhad and Penang Skills Development Centre (PSDC) in Bayan Lepas, Penang on 26 April 2018.  Inari Amertron Berhad has adopted Industry 4.0 features in their production line.  We witnessed an example of a “smart factory” concept in which cyber physical systems monitor real time physical progress of the factory which can enable decentralised decisions to be made.  Our visit to PSDC enabled us to be acquainted with the extensive range of training and industrial programmes PSDC conducts to equip our workforce to be directly relevant to industry needs.  In keeping with the development of Industry 4.0, PSDC also conducts a range of training programmes in this area.   

In the coming months, MASSA will endeavour to bring you articles and events to keep you abreast of Industry 4.0 issues.  Starting with this edition, we are pleased to share an article from the Selangor Human Resource Development Centre (SHRDC) on the Malaysian Smart Factory 4.0.

We hope this edition of news and views have been enlightening for members and readers.  We want to thank all our contributors and partners for sharing all these information and insights.  MASSA endeavours to be a focal point for South-South information and business cross flows.

Editorial Committee 
MASSA Secretariat