KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 24 The Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC) has targeted a two-fold increase in the export of wooden furniture to RM24 billion next year. Its minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin said this can be achieved by exploring new markets such as Central Asia, the.
KUALA LUMPUR: It is important to ensure that initiatives and programmes to develop the Malaysian timber industry are created based on the needs of the companies operating in the sector, in order to remove bottlenecks and plug the gaps in the ecosystem.
Strengthening human capital: Noraini giving her speech at the launch of the EPIP programme.
THE timber industry is on the lookout for more local graduates as it moves into the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR4.0).
Malaysian Timber Council (MTC) president Mazli Zakuan Mohd Noor said the council has created the first-of-its-kind Engineer Placement and Internship Placement (EPIP) in the Timber Industry 2021 programme, which is divided into two parts – for engineers and for interns.
He said these are part of the council’s strategic plan, which includes intensifying efforts to achieve digitisation and automation in the industry as it enters IR4.0.
“(It is also) to increase the number of knowledgeable workers, especially in the fields of engineering and design of wood products and furniture, ” he said at the launch of the event on March 2.
Timber industry seeks local grads to join in its march towards IR 4 0 thestar.com.my - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thestar.com.my Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Chua said ocean freight for certain destinations have spiked by 300% to more than 500%.
WHILE government policies and laws are key towards facilitating a healthy industry, the role of industry associations are also undeniably important in helping to ensure that regulatory measures support the growth of the industry as well.
For the Timber Exporter’s Association of Malaysia (TEAM), which was established in 1955 with approximately 680 members, it aims to distill the feedback of industry players into a single, concerted voice to liaise with the government on policy and regulatory issues related to timber.
According to its president Chua Song Fong, apart from furniture, most of the other sectors within the timber industry have seen a drop in business since the pandemic’s outbreak.