Seeloz-Crest tie-up to empower 30,000 workers

According to Crest chief executive officer Jaffri Ibrahim, Empower Malaysia is a definitive step forward for the country’s manufacturers, as it introduces a comprehensive platform that spearheads supply chain transformation without neglecting the need for an accompanying wave of aggressive talent development.

PETALING JAYA: The Silicon Valley-based Seeloz Inc has tied up with the Collaborative Research in Engineering, Science and Technology Centre (Crest) to launch “Empower Malaysia,” a national initiative to boost resilience in supply chain automation.

Seeloz said the Empower Malaysia initiative would upskill 30,000 Malaysian talents in artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-driven supply chain automation.

“This covers the energy and utilities and major manufacturing sectors in Malaysia including automotive, electrical and electronics, palm oil, medical devices and medical supplies,” it said in a statement yesterday.

The initiative is in collaboration with the American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce and major academic institutions in the country including Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Universiti Malaya, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Universiti Sains Malaysia and University Malaysia of Computer Science and Engineering. It is supported by the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida).

Seeloz co-founder and chief operating officer Amir Razelan said Malaysia is well-positioned to become one of the major manufacturing hubs globally.

“In a post-pandemic world, global value chains are being redefined to optimise multinational and regional manufacturers’ ability to cope with skyrocketing logistics costs and supply chain disruptions.

“We’re proud to partner with the Malaysian government and key stakeholders across both industry and academia to position the country as the regional hub for autonomous supply chains and lights-out manufacturing.”

Amir added that Empower Malaysia would be the starting point for Seeloz to elevate the country to becoming a global leader in end-to-end supply chain resilience.

In the same statement, Microsoft Malaysia small, medium and corporate group general manager Datin Lim Bee Wah said the manufacturing sector is one of the key contributors to gross domestic product.

“It’s important to identify key technological advancements as well as upskill talents that will help build resilience within the sector,” she said.

Meanwhile, Mida chief executive officer Datuk Arham Abdul Rahman said new technologies would play a key role in the country’s progress within the global value chain.

“Therefore, Empower Malaysia showcases an important collaboration model spearheaded by the private sector and well-aligned with the country’s government objectives.“In line with the rapid evolution of the global economy, the next frontier for the industry players is to expand the integration of equipment, systems and networks within their business locations, especially their manufacturing plants to further connect with suppliers, customers and broader business communities.”

According to Crest chief executive officer Jaffri Ibrahim, Empower Malaysia is a definitive step forward for the country’s manufacturers, as it introduces a comprehensive platform that spearheads supply chain transformation without neglecting the need for an accompanying wave of aggressive talent development.

“We hope to further propel collaborations between the participating technology providers and academic institutes to gradually localise this groundbreaking technology. It will reach a level where our manufacturing industries and enterprises are transformed towards success,” Jaffri said.