(1)  Farewell Dinner for Mr Dhanajoy Kumar Dass, 

      First Secretary (Commercial), Bangladesh 

      High Commission on 25 January 2018

Tan Sri Dato’ Soong Siew Hoong, EXCO MASSA hosted a farewell dinner for the outgoing First Secretary (Commercial) of the Bangladesh High Commission, Mr Dhanajoy Kumar Dass.

(Seated, 2nd from left) Mr Dhanajoy Kumar Dass, First Secretary (Commercial), Bangladesh High Commission and (next) Tan Sri Dato’ Soong Siew Hoong, EXCO MASSA (standing, 2nd from left to right) Datin Paduka Yong Dai Ying, President ERA, Ms Ng Su Fun, Executive Secretary MASSA, Ms Florence Khoo, Asst Executive Secretary, MASSA and Dato’ Lim Hong Yeu, Director, Kemajuan Arjaya Sdn Bhd

(right) Tan Sri Dato’ Soong Siew Hoong receiving a souvenir from Mr Dhanajoy Kumar Dass

(2)  Mr Md Rajibul Ahsan, the new First Secretary

      (Commercial) of the Bangladesh High 

      Commission visited MASSA Secretariat

      on 19 April 2018

Mr Md Rajibul Ahsan, the new First Secretary (Commercial) of the Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur visited MASSA Secretariat.  The First Secretary commenced his tour of duty in Malaysia in January 2018.

Ms Ng Su Fun and Ms Florence Khoo welcomed Mr Md Rajibul Ahsan to MASSA Secretariat.  MASSA reviewed the past activities and programmes held in cooperation with the Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur and discussed various activities that MASSA could undertake to foster greater and closer cooperation between the private sectors of both countries.

(left to right) Ms Florence Khoo, Asst. Executive Secretary, MASSA, Mr Md Rajibul Ahsan, First Secretary (Commercial), Bangladesh High Commission and Ms Ng Su Fu, Executive Secretary, MASSA

(3)  The Honorable Richard Maru, MP, Minister 

        for National Planning and Monitoring and

        Honorable Petrus Thomas, MP, Minister of

        Immigration, Papua New Guinea and

        Delegation to MASSA on 18 April 2018 

The Honorable Richard Maru, MP, Minister for National Planning and Monitoring of Papua New Guinea together with a delegation that comprised of officials from his Ministry and the Minister of Immigration, Honorable Petrus Thomas, MP accompanied by High Commissioner of Papua New Guinea to Malaysia,  H.E. Mr Peter Vincent OL and First Secretary, Mr Philemon Senginawa called on MASSA.

Tan Sri Azman Hashim, MASSA President together with Executive committee and MASSA members met the delegation.

(left to right) Dato’ J Jegathesan, EXCO MASSA, H.E. Mr Peter Vincent OL, High Commissioner of Papua New Guinea to Malaysia, Dato’ G Ramakrishnan, Director, Konsultant Process Sdn Bhd and Ms Ng Su Fun, Executive Secretary, MASSA

MASSA EXCO members meeting wtih the Papua New Guinea Delegation

(2nd from left) Tan Sri Azman Hashim, President of MASSA chairing the meeting with (left) Dato’ J. Jegathesan, EXCO MASSA (3rd from left to right) Ms Ng Su Fun, Executive Secretary, MASSA, Mr Chairil Mohd Tamil, Special Officer to PCEO, Exim Bank and Mr Baharuddin Muslim, Head/Vice President, Stakeholder Management Unit, EXIM Bank

The delegation from Papua New Guinea was on a familiarisation and learning visit to Kuala Lumpur to meet key Government Ministries and officials and private sector to learn how Malaysia successfully transformed its economy from agriculture to an industrial based economy, connect with business enterprises and associations like MASSA, to encourage greater 2-way trade and investment flows.

Papua New Guinea Delegation at the meeting

(left) Honorable Richard Maru, MP, Minister for National Planning and Monitoring, Papua New Guinea and (right) Honorable Petrus Thomas, MP, Minister of Immigration, Papua New Guinea

(left to right) Ms Harry Hakaua, Secretary, Dept of National Planning and Monitoring, PNG and H.E. Mr Peter Vincent, OL, High Commissioner of Papua New Guinea to Malaysia

(left to right) Mr Philemon Senginawa, First Secretary, High Commission of Papua New Guinea in Malaysia, Mr Solomon Kantha, Chief Migration Officer, PNG and Mr Noel Collin Mobiha,, ICT Consultant

Papua New Guinea is an island nation  that is richly endowed with natural resources and fertile soils.  It is seeking to diversify its sources of economic growth which is currently based on extractive industries and primary resource exportation.

The Hon. Minister welcomed MASSA to bring a business mission to visit Papua New Guinea to explore 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
–  Green & Renewable Energy Sector

MASSA and FMM will be organising a Business Mission to Papua New Guinea from 4 – 8 August 2018.

Group photo (3rd from left) Tan Sri Azman Hashim, President MASSA with the PNG delegation after the meeting

(centre) Tan Sri Azman Hashim, President MASSA presenting a souvenir to (left) Hon. Richard Maru, MP, Minister for National Planning and Monitoring, Papua New Guinea and (right) Hon. Petrus Thomas, MP, Minister of Immigration, Papua New Guinea

(left to right) Mr Baharuddin Muslim, EXIM Bank, Ms Harry Hakaua, Secretary, Dept of National Planning and Monitoring, PNG and Mr Chairil Mohd Tamil, EXIM Bank

(4)   MASSA Technical Visit to Inari Amertron Berhad’s

         Facilities and Penang Skills Development Centre

         (PSDC) on 26 April 2018

MASSA organised a visit to  Inari Amertron Berhad and Penang Skills Development Centre (PSDC) on 26 April 2018.

Inari Amertron Berhad is a home grown Malaysian MNC in the OSAT (Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test) and EMS (Electronics Manufacturing Services) Industry.  Listed on Bursa Malaysia in 2011, it has a market capitalization of more than RM5.57 billion employing more than 6,600 employees across 12 factories spread over 3 countries.

The broad based global economic recovery in 2017 was partly due to the global technology upswing that was supported by a number of launches of popular flagship smart devices.  This triggered a wave of new orders for firms along the supply chain of these products. Malaysia is the world’s 7th largest semiconductor exporter with extensive linkages in the global value chain.  As a result, the technology upcycle translated into robust demand for E & E products from the regional and advanced economies.

Inari Amertron Berhad Group of Companies has embarked on the adoption of Industry 4.0 smart manufacturing features in their operations.

(5th from left) Ms Ng Su Fun, Executive Secretary MASSA and (7th from left) Mr Lau Kean Cheong, Executive Director cum Group CEO, Inari Amertron Berhad with MASSA members during their visit to Inari Amertron Berhad’s facilities on 26 April 2018

Mr Lau Kean Cheong, Executive Director cum Group Chief Executive Officer met our delegation and personally welcomed us and shared with us, Inari Amertron Berhad’s experiential Industry 4.0 journey and how the company has adapted and adopted smart manufacturing features, and, how these features  being part of its innovation strategy, have translated to operational efficiencies, productivity and profitability.

Industry 4.0 is a journey and it should begin with the top management of the company, leading the charge for corporate transformation through the adaptation and adoption IOT enabled technology. 

(standing, on the left) Mr Lau Kean Cheong, Executive Director cum Group Chief Officer of Inari Amertron Berhad giving a presentation on Inari Amertron Berhad’s operations and its facilities to MASSA members

(left to right) Mr Noorazidi Bin Che Azib, Deputy President, Operation Technology & Strategic Programme Dept. and Mr Lau Kean Cheong, Executive Director cum Group Chief Executive Officer of Inari Amertron Berhad at the meeting

(standing, on the left) Ms Ng Su Fun, Executive Secretary MASSA giving a brief on MASSA to the Management of Inari Amertron Berhad

(left to right) Mr Noorazidi Bin Che Azib, Deputy Vice President, Operation Technology & Strategic Program Department, Inari Amertron Berhad, Mr Lau Kean Cheong, Group CEO cum Executive Director, Inari Amertron Berhad, Dato’ Jimmy C.K. Ong, FMM Vice Chairman (Penang Branch), Dato’ Lim Hong Yeu, ERA, Mr Matin Ng Chin Liang, FMM (Penang Branch) and Mr Zainal Adnan Zainudin, Senior Manager-Human Resource, Inari Amertron Berhad

(left) Ms Ng Su Fun presenting the MASSA Annual Report to Mr Noorazidi Bin Che Azib

Mr Noorazidi Bin Che Azib, Deputy Vice President, Operation Technology & Strategic Programe Department shared with our delegation the detailed operational aspects of embracing these technological upgrades and enhancements to boost its competitiveness. This can only be made possible through strong employee engagement and teamwork.  The visit  included a walk through Inari’s production floor at 2 of their plants. 

We thank  the Management of Inari Amertron Berhad, especially Mr Lau Kean Cheong, Mr Noorazidi Bin Che Azib, Mr Zainal Adnan Zainudin (Senior Manager – Human Resource) and Ms Connie Chan (PA, Administration) for their time, hospitality and the sumptuous lunch !

We came away very impressed and we learnt a lot. We wish the Management and Staff of Inari Amertron Berhad every success.

MASSA members at Inari Amertron Berhad’s facilities

Visit to Penang Skills Development Centre (PSDC)

The Chief Executive Officer of PSDC, Mr Muhamed Ali Hajah Mydin and his team, Encik Azhar Bin Md Nayan, Technical Advisor and Ms Diana Teoh Choon Hooi, Program Manager, Industry Technical Collaboration warmly received us and gave us a presentation of PSDC’s objectives and its programmes and activities to help companies, amongst others, to become Industry 4.0 ready.

PSDC has over the years trained and developed training programmes to equip the industry with quality workforce. More so now with the advent of digitalisation transformation driven by the IOT, human skills and talent need to adapt to these changes, thus giving rise to talent upgrading, upskilling and reskilling.

((left) Ms Ng Su Fun, Executive Secretary MASSA and MASSA members at Penang Skills Development Centre (PSDC) office in Penang

Mr Azhar bin Md Nayan, Technical Advisor of Penang Skills Development Centre (PSDC) giving a presentation on “Industry 4.0 – Centre of Excellence (CoE)” to MASSA members

The 11 Pillars of Industry 4.0

(left) Ms Diana Teoh Choon Hooi, Program Manager, Industry Technical Collaboration, PSDC and Mr Azhar Bin Md Nayan, Technical Advisor, PSDC at the meeting

PSDC has established an “Industry 4.0 – Centre of Excellence” in its premises. Our delegation was given a tour of its learning facilities.  This academy is driven and supported by corporate members and its learning programmes are designed to be directly relevant to immediate and forecasted industry needs.

Learning facilities at PSDC

(left) Dr. Helena Eian Yeut Lan, FMM Council Member and (right) Ms Diana Teoh Choon Hooi, Program Manager, Industry Technical Collaboration, PSDC showing MASSA members the learning facilities at PSDC

MIMOS Innovation Hub at PSDC

Ms Diana Teoh Choon Hooi giving an explanation on PSDC’s learning facilities to MASSA members

Mr Muhamed Ali Hajah Mydin, Chief Executive Officer, PSDC introducing features and facilities of the PSDC Learning Lab to MASSA members

MASSA members touring the PSDC Learning Lab

Chart depicting on “How Industry 4.0 Works in Applied Engineering” at PSDC

Group photo of MASSA members at the Penang Skills Development Centre (PSDC)

We thank Mr Muhamed Ali Hajah Mydin, Chief Executive Officer and his team for their time and passionate sharing to inform us about the extensive range of training and academy programmes for students and the workforce. PSDC also has shared services facilities via its EMC Lab and other event management services for corporates.

Readers can find out more by visiting PSDC website at www.psdc.org.my