Kuala Lumpur:

COVID-19 was a wake-up call to governments and organizations on the importance of implementing digital technologies. While the lockdown accelerated digitalization, it’s imperative for organizations to adopt newer technologies to recover in the post-pandemic environment. One of the key priorities of the Twelfth Malaysia Plan (RMK-12) includes establishing a conducive ecosystem to develop small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and accelerate digitalization. Organizations regardless of size no longer have the luxury of time in joining the digital revolution. The journey toward digital transformation will be accelerated by automation, which will boost productivity and ensure the efficiency of services. Digitalization and Automation The pandemic has also forced many brick and mortar businesses to digitize. Malaysia’s manufacturing sector was especially hard-hit due to the unprecedented disruption. The state of the industrial revolution in Malaysia’s manufacturing sector is between Industry 2.0 and 3.0. To move towards the Industry 4.0 model, Malaysian industries must be adequately equipped to navigate through the rapidly evolving digital and technological realms. Expansion of the Smart Automation Grant (SAG) will help organizations realize the full potential of digitalization. Moving into the recovery phase, organizations will experience greater rebound riding on new technology applications and innovation of Industry 4.0. We look forward to an accelerated focus on automation and strengthened digital foundation in the RMK-12 to propel companies beyond surviving, and thrive in this post COVID-19 economy. Upskilling and Reskilling Malaysians While the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the “new normal” has given rise to the fear that machines will replace the workforce and further widen the skills gap, the World Economic Forum (WEF) expects that 97 million new jobs will be created by 2025 as a result of automation. Support provided by government-led programmes will set the standards and help organizations accelerate their transformation from offline to online business models. Training incentives to upskill employees for the digital transition, preparing to drive the adoption of cloud technologies and digital tools, will enable organizations to pivot quickly to new digital demands and scale to meet business needs. Employing the right talent to complement automation is vital to economic recovery in the post-pandemic era. The government and organizations need to collaborate in developing and nurturing talent, which is an imperative and essential building block for Malaysia to become a digital nation. This will only help accelerate the nation’s digital economy and remain competitive in the global arena. This article is written by Zakir Ahmed, Senior Vice President & GM for APJ at Kofax