KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia should leverage its strengths to become a producer of globally competitive technologies while preparing a future-ready workforce to capitalise on Asia's economic rise, Strategic Intelligence co-founder Professor Henrik von Scheel said.
He said Malaysia now has ‘a seat at the table’ as the global economic centre of gravity shifts towards Asia, giving it an opportunity to shape future industries and workforce policies instead of merely following global trends.
He said Malaysia should continue strengthening industries where it enjoys strategic advantages, including technology, which remains integral to global supply chains.
"It is your time to decide what the workforce is going to be for the future, which skills you need and which industries will have an influence on Malaysia.
"Malaysia has the capability to develop a product that the world can consume," he said during the Malaysia Employers Federation (MEF) Leadership Circle Breakfast networking session here today.
von Scheel, who is also known as the originator of Industry 4.0, further said MEF has an important role in helping industries prepare for the next phase of economic transformation by identifying future workforce requirements instead of reacting to changing market conditions.
He said employers should focus on sectors where Malaysia has strategic strengths that cannot be easily replaced, while ensuring workers are equipped with the capabilities required by future industries.
On artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, von Scheel said organisations should prioritise governance and data protection alongside technological deployment, warning against the growing use of 'shadow AI', where employees upload confidential corporate information to public AI platforms.
"AI is a spying tool, and AI is the biggest infringement on intellectual capital.
"MEF should have a clear internal standard on how organisations implement AI," he said.
He added that companies should establish internal AI policies to prevent employees from exposing sensitive business information, including financial records, pricing structures and commercial proposals, through publicly accessible AI systems.
He also stressed that businesses should continue investing in human capital despite advances in automation, saying AI should complement, rather than replace, human expertise.
Meanwhile, at the session, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Strategic Alliance, MEF and the Asia Centre of Leadership and Civilisation, aimed at developing future-ready leaders and organisations for Malaysia's next industrial era.
MEF's chief executive, Datuk Seri Rosman Mohamed, said the MoU would focus on knowledge transfer, strategic intelligence sharing and leadership development programmes.
"We want to take MEF to the next level and support Malaysia's continued growth by bringing together civil society, the government, financial institutions and the corporate sector," he said.
MEF is Malaysia's premier employer federation, representing more than 8,000 companies across all industries nationwide. - Bernama
