A door-to-door survey 3.0 programme has been rolled out in the Menglembu industrial area in Ipoh, Perak, to identify key challenges faced by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Jelapang assemblyman Cheah Pou Hian said the initiative, to run until end of September, would take place between 2pm and 5pm from Monday to Friday.
He said Menglembu assemblyman Steven Chaw had teamed up with him to expand the initiative to the industrial zone.
“The objective is to gain a deeper understanding of the issues and emerging demands SMEs are grappling with.
“This includes expanding production capacity, technology adoption, talent recruitment, sourcing raw materials and accessing financing,” he said in a press conference at the Jelapang assemblyman service centre.
Cheah said the survey would also assess the current adoption status of smart factories and IT-based management systems.
“We want to explore how SMEs can adopt digital tools and upgrade in ways that suit local conditions.
“This would help them move toward a new era of industrial reform instead of remaining in the traditional way.”
The initiative, he said, would also promote awareness of key trends such as energy efficiency, carbon reduction, green procurement, smart manufacturing, and supply chain transparency.
“By introducing these topics during our engagements, we hope to gradually cultivate awareness of sustainable operations and responsible governance,” he added.
Cheah said the 3.0 initiative was a continuation of his Door-to-Door Survey 1.0 held in December 2023, followed by a second phase targeting local households.
Since then, he said his team visited over 400 factories across more than 10 industrial zones.
“We found that most SMEs still rely on traditional or manual operations, with digital transformation progressing slowly.
“Many SMEs, when asked about transformation or upgrading, often express hesitation or uncertainty.
“Through this new survey, we hope to shift that mindset by addressing specific concerns and offering targeted support.”
Cheah said the findings would serve as crucial data for local governments to formulate and implement more grounded policies.
