TN50 vision for SMEs attainable: Matrade CEO

KUALA LUMPUR: Matrade CEO Datuk Dzulkifli Mahmud said the National Transformation 50 (TN50) vision can be an attainable goal for small and medium enterprises (SME), if the right resources are provided.
He said technology is a driving force for businesses, and procuring technologies from overseas and sourcing and developing technology locally, can be instrumental in increasing the competitive advantage of local products in the global exports market.
Dzulkifli, who was speaking after officiating a briefing entitled “TN50: Malaysia 2050 Smart Communities” by the Academy of Sciences Malaysia, said locally sourced technology will also reduce reliance on foreign expertise and workforce.
TN50 is a futuristic policy roadmap for economic and social development envisioned by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak for the next 30 years, after the expiration of Vision 2020. Exports is seen as a core economic factor for growth for the TN50 vision.
On the cost SMEs have to bear in order to procure and produce such technologies, Dzulkifli said more investments inflow into such companies and financial aid from financial institutions is necessary to achieve this.
Matrade is engaging in dialogues with stakeholders from various sectors in an effort to enhance exports with automation, data mining, digital and creative platforms, financial technology, fitness, biotechnology and pharmaceutical being some of the sectors it is looking at.
“These are some initiatives to prepare SME entrepreneurs and exporters to prepare themselves for TN50,” he said.
Dzulkifli said it is essential to study the demands from other countries and match our supplies to those needs through exports. He said Matrade is hopeful that more local entrepreneurs will explore the international exports market.
Earlier, in the briefing conducted by Matrade in collaboration with ASM, its CEO Hazami Habib said Malaysia will be able to achieve its TN50 aspirations if it is driven by sustainable Smart Communities. Talent according to Hazami is important to grow a smart community.