Singapore is well-positioned to be a living lab for smart cities solutions

Mr S Iswaran, Minister, Ministry for Trade and Industry, spoke today on the impact of technological innovation

Technological innovation in recent decades, especially in ICT, has created enormous value in the global economy.

In the past Singapore has invested heavily in R&D, and built up an innovation ecosystem comprising public sector agencies, MNCs, large local enterprises, SMEs, startups, research institutes and institutes of higher learning and continues to do so.

Government expenditure in R&D has risen from $2 billion in the first half of the 1990s, to $16 billion in the first half of the current decade. The number of research scientists and engineers in Singapore has also risen from 5,000 in 1991 to 32,000 in 2013, forming a strong core of experts whom the economy can rely on to take advantage of the opportunities arising from technological innovation.

As a small city-state, Singapore has had to develop innovative solutions to overcome acute resource constraints, such as land scarcity and the lack of natural resources. For instance, in 1998, Singapore developed the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system to ease road congestion by influencing drivers’ road usage patterns. Several major cities, including London and Stockholm, have studied Singapore’s ERP system to address urban congestion. Singapore transport authorities are studying models for the next generation of the ERP system.

Singapore is recognised as a global city and living laboratory, where companies can partner public agencies to develop, test and commercialise smart cities solutions.

He gave examples of leading international energy and public utilities companies EDF, a French Electricity Company and Veolia have established Centres of Excellence in Singapore, and are working with the Housing Development Board to develop a complex systems modelling tool. This tool uses 3D simulation to visualise and test building plans in a virtual environment to help town planners design optimal living conditions.

Smart cities solutions have the potential to transform cities, improve the living environment for citizens, and create new and fulfilling jobs. New capabilities and skill-sets will be required to support the development of industry that creates solutions for smart, or smarter, cities.

Data analytics has been identified as one such important capability. The government has been actively partnering companies, universities and research institutions to train Singaporeans in data analytics, with the aim of nurturing a pool of 2,500 multidisciplinary analytics professionals by 2017.

EDB has partnered IBM and the National University of Singapore (NUS) to establish the NUS-IBM Centre for Business Analytics, whose Master’s program is now in its second intake, with 28 students from more than 10 different industries. Currently, this is one of four masters and five programs for data analytics in Singapore.

Singapore has also invested in research programs to support the development of smart cities solutions. For example, the Singapore–MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) Centre undertakes research on Urban Mobility, Low Energy Electronics, Environmental Sensing and Modelling.

“I am pleased to share that autonomous vehicles (AVs) developed by SMART and NUS have been plying public roads in our One-North district since October, in a one-year trial. This project aims to address the “first and last-mile problem” in our transportation system.”

Solving Singapore’s Urban Challenges with Geospatial Tech

The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) is launching numerous new collaborations to address urban challenges by leveraging geospatial technology to facilitate data-driven decision-making and solutions. Geospatial technology is location-based technology that is widely used in areas such as mapping and road navigation and is a key enabler in supporting Singapore’s Smart Nation and sustainability initiatives.

Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, and Ministry of Transport, announced the new collaborations at the recently concluded Geo Connect Asia 2023. The Senior Minister was also present at the signing ceremonies for two SLA collaborations: the Container Depot and Logistics Association (Singapore) and the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

SLA has also begun its first bilateral collaboration with the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information (GEOSA), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as part of its efforts to foster international knowledge exchange and contribute their experiences in the use of geospatial data and technology.

The collaboration stems from both countries’ rapid urbanisation, which has resulted in an increased need to use geospatial data and technology in decision-making, as global cities face similar challenges that could benefit from shared solutions. The collaboration with GEOSA, which will last three years, will involve the exchange of knowledge and experiences on:

The development and management of national geospatial databases;
The use of technologies such as artificial intelligence, and machine learning in the development of digital twins;
Digital transformation in the geospatial industry; and
Development of geospatial products and services that will benefit citizens.

Also, the SLA will work with the Container Depot and Logistics Association (Singapore) to make it easier for heavy vehicles to get where they need to go. Companies that use these kinds of vehicles and their drivers will be able to plan their trips better and save time if they have more information. This means that the companies will save money because they will use less fuel and put out less carbon.

SLA has also been working with SG Enable and Gardens by the Bay to map routes that are easy for people in wheelchairs to use. This collaboration is part of SLA’s support for the Enabling Masterplan 2030, which describes Singapore’s goal of becoming a society that welcomes everyone by 2030.

In this project, information about barrier-free routes is collected and mapped in Bukit Merah and Gardens by the Bay. These routes have things like covered linkways for wheelchairs, ramps, footpaths, pedestrian crossings, and overhead bridges with lifts.

SLA has made a pilot testing app with barrier-free access routes for these two areas so that wheelchair users can give feedback and give ideas for making things better. In the next six months, improvements will be made to more testing areas in terms of data accuracy and ease of use. In the future, the barrier-free access routing function will be added to OneMap as an extra way to find your way, along with the public transportation, cycling, and driving modes that are already there.

SLA has been working with partners to get students excited about geospatial technologies and make them aware of how they can be used to solve everyday problems in the community.

Other projects like this include the annual Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) Innovation Challenge, which is put on with the help of the Space Faculty, the annual Regional Geospatial Youth Forum, and the Young Geospatial Scientist workshop, which is put on with the help of the Singapore Science Centre.

Later this year, the government will announce new ways to help students learn. Through these projects, SLA wants geospatial data and capabilities to be used by everyone.

Hong Kong: Reducing Emissions with Tech

The HKSAR Government is dedicated to accomplishing carbon neutrality by 2050 through its proposed progressive and tailored decarbonisation tactics outlined in the “Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2050”. To achieve this objective, the government is working to encourage active community involvement, with a pivotal emphasis on corporate engagement.

The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC), in conjunction with the City University of Hong Kong’s School of Energy and Environment, conducted a survey to assess corporate awareness of carbon neutrality, current carbon reduction efforts, and challenges faced by the commercial and building-related sectors. The survey included both large corporations/organisations and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The findings indicate that while the majority of the corporations/organisations support the government’s decarbonisation policies, they lack professional knowledge of carbon neutrality, with less than 20% having established specific decarbonisation objectives. Furthermore, the high financial costs of low-carbon transformation and a lack of demand have made decarbonisation efforts challenging.

Conducted from October to December 2022, the survey received 122 responses, with 49% originating from large corporations/organisations and 51% from SMEs. Findings reveal that 72% of respondents lacked awareness of carbon neutrality and the “Hong Kong Climate Action Plan 2050” and Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

Additionally, 66% had not conducted carbon audits or regularly evaluated greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, 81% had yet to establish carbon neutrality targets, and among the remaining 19%, less than half referenced international standards (43%) or addressed greenhouse gas emissions within their supply chains (48%). The data highlights an urgent need for corporations/organisations to enhance their professional knowledge and establish effective carbon reduction targets and plans.

The survey also examined factors affecting corporations/organisations in establishing carbon neutrality targets and implementing carbon reduction initiatives. The findings indicate that 90% of respondents consider enhancing brand image, reputation, and competitiveness as the main reasons for setting targets, followed by regulatory requirements (48%) and meeting customer demands (44%).

The remaining corporations/organisations that have yet to set targets cited a lack of external support (76%), relevance to business operations (73%), and insufficient awareness or knowledge (71%) as impediments. While 88% would implement carbon neutrality-related measures due to encouragement from business partners, roughly 45% consider a lack of resources or governance structures a hindrance.

The survey identified the top three challenges hindering carbon reduction efforts, with over 60% indicating “higher financial capital requirements,” “lack of price incentives to change current operating models,” and “lack of consumer and customer demand” as major obstacles towards achieving carbon neutrality.

Moreover, the survey provided insights into the requirements of corporations/organisations in attaining carbon neutrality, which can be classified into two categories: “financial/funding support” (78%) and “technical support.” The latter includes carbon neutrality assessment tools (62%), training (54%), consultancy services (52%), and green technologies (49%).

HKPC is aware of the requirements of industries and is dedicated to providing essential support to aid corporations/organisations in devising pragmatic emission reduction plans and initiatives and collaborating to prepare for attaining carbon neutrality.

The GM of HKPC’s Green Living and Innovation Division expressed that HKPC is actively creating comprehensive carbon evaluation tools to assist various industries in comprehending their greenhouse gas emissions and setting suitable carbon reduction targets.

Additionally, the organisation will provide additional capacity building and related advisory services while putting effort into R&D, incentivizing the application of low-carbon technologies across diverse sectors to expedite low-carbon transformation. Moreover, HKPC will maintain its close partnership with industries and support them in R&D, technology, and identifying appropriate funding programs to help all sectors stay abreast of the carbon neutrality trend.

According to the Associate Provost (Academic Affairs) & Professor of The School of Energy and Environment of the City University of Hong Kong, the collaboration with HKPC on the survey has yielded valuable reference data that reflects the actual needs of industries in the current trend towards carbon neutrality. This data will be beneficial to the government, universities, and related institutions in providing appropriate support to help industries prepare for new challenges and achieve carbon neutrality.

Integrating Budgeting Apps to Simplify Services in Indonesia

The Ministries of Finance and National Development Planning (Bappenas) and the National Development Planning Agency (PPN) have jointly released the Krisna Renja-Sakti synchronisation module. Together, these two tools reduce the number of actions required to disburse funds from 13 to 8.

Abdullah Azwar Anas, the Minister for Administrative Reform and Bureaucratic Reform, felt that the move taken by the Ministry of Finance and Bappenas was a significant step forward in bureaucratic reform in the budget sector (PANRB).

“This is the SPBE layout plan. Creating efficient and straightforward software is a top priority for any government service integration initiative. The Finance Minister and Bappenas’s Chief are an example for other organisations that want to unify their various administrative processes,” Anas declared at the Krisna Renja – Sakti synchronisation module launch in Jakarta.

Indonesia’s Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, has made it clear that implementing Krisna-Sakti will streamline budgeting, obtaining funds, and reporting expenditures for the country’s numerous government agencies. As an added request, she asked that the Ministry of Finance and Bappenas make Krisna-Sakti fully interoperable and streamline standard operating processes.

I emphasised that streamlining our administration is the hardest part,” Sri observed. “If our nation’s bureaucracy is to foster creative problem-solving, how can this be accomplished?” she chimed in.

The Ministry of Finance and Bappenas are committed to continuing their efforts to improve services to ministries/agencies to bring about a more developed and rich Indonesian people and nation. To Sri, this was the first step in fixing and coordinating these two essential applications used by all branches of government. All government agencies and academic research facilities must get the blessing of Krisna and Sakti before they may receive funds.

Suharso Monoarfa, Minister of PPN and Head of Bappenas, has said that this synchronisation made the increased transparency and accountability in planning and budgeting possible. He is confident that his company will be able to effectively curb unnecessary expenditures and quickly readjust course as needed throughout the introduction of new development plans.

Also, the app was built following the National SPBE Architecture Perpres Regulation’s mandate to minimise redundant efforts and make the most of existing ones. The PANRB-prioritised Ministry has stated that combining Krisna and Sakti improves the E-Government infrastructure (SPBE).

The government’s apps have been updated and digitised as part of the consolidated and standardised Electronic-Based Government System (SPBE). Because it is a necessary measure in the battle against corruption, the government of Indonesia backs the system.

Anas noted that nations with advanced levels of e-government, such as Denmark and Finland, also tend to have low levels of perceived corruption. Therefore, he reasoned that full SPBE implementation would be the solution because Indonesia’s score on the Corruption Perceptions Index (GPA) has reduced from 38 in 2021 to 34 in 2022.

Since Presidential Regulation 132/2022 on the National Electronic-Based Government System Architecture was passed, SPBE deployment in Indonesia has been regulated by law. To improve the standard of public services, the government has committed to speeding up the process of integrating business processes, data and information, SPBE infrastructure, SPBE applications, and SPBE security.

Deputy Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Chairperson Alexander Marwata believes SPBE can root out corruption in Indonesia. According to him, extortion, bribery, and other forms of crime may be avoided, and government services to the public can be enhanced using technical assistance and the honesty of public officials.

The Ministry of PANRB also increases SPBE’s use in the public sector through the Digital Public Service Mall (MPP). This one system will consolidate a wide range of governmental operations at all levels, from the federal to the state and local.

Machine Learning for More Efficient Hash Functions

Machine learning has helped researchers from MIT and elsewhere to explore the possibility of building a better hash function. Their findings reveal how database searches can be optimised with a custom-designed hash function.

Researchers discovered that data collisions might be reduced by employing trained models instead of standard hash functions. Learned models are produced by applying a machine-learning algorithm to a dataset to identify key features. The trials performed by MIT researchers and elsewhere also showed that learnt models were frequently more computationally efficient than ideal hash functions.

“In this study, we discovered that there are circumstances in which it is possible to find a more optimal compromise between the time required to compute the hash function and the likelihood of collisions. In these cases, the computation time for the hash function can be increased a little. Still, at the same time, its collisions can be significantly reduced,” Ibrahim Sabek, a postdoc in the MIT Data Systems Group of the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) and the paper’s co-lead authors asserted.

Because hashing is used in many contexts, including database indexing, data compression and cryptography, hash functions must be quick and efficient. Several online databases use hashing, such as library catalogues and e-commerce websites. Codes produced by a hash function indicate the data’s potential storage location. It is hence less demanding to seek out and get the information when employing these codes.

Traditional hash algorithms create codes arbitrarily. Therefore, two data bits can have the same hash, which leads to collisions. The collisions occur when a user tries to find a piece of specific information but receives results for many files with the same hash value. It takes a lot more time to zero down on the correct one, which slows down searches and decreases performance.

Perfect hash functions are a class of hashing algorithms optimised to insert data in a way that eliminates the possibility of collisions. However, they are labour-intensive to build for each dataset and slower to calculate than regular hash functions. With this new information, it should be possible to decrease the number of accidents. Thus, the method might speed up computing systems used by scientists to store and evaluate biological information like DNA, amino acid sequences, and so on.

Learned models may reduce the proportion of collisions in a dataset from 30% to 15% when data are distributed reliably, compared to conventional hash functions. They even managed to outperform ideal hash algorithms in terms of performance. Learned models can cut execution time by as much as 30% in the best circumstances.

Throughput was shown to be primarily affected by the total number of sub-models when researchers investigated the usage of trained models for hashing. Each trained model is made up of several simpler linear models, each of which provides an approximation of some portion of the data distribution. The learnt model’s approximation improves with additional sub-models, albeit at the cost of increased processing time.

A minimum number of sub-models must be used to construct the approximation required for the hash function. As a result, Sabek believes that the benefits of this approach of reducing collisions will plateau beyond a certain point.

Researchers aim to extend this work by applying learnt models to create hash functions for new data classes. The group also intends to investigate learnt hashing for transactional databases. This type of data update necessitates a model revision. However, revising a model without sacrificing accuracy is challenging.

“We’d want to inspire the community to include machine learning into their standard algorithms and data structures. Then, we can apply machine learning to capture data attributes better and achieve higher performance with virtually any fundamental data structure. “There is still a lot we can investigate,” Sabek added.

Thailand Expands Smart City and Digital Economy Initiatives to 3 Provinces

Three provinces in Thailand – Phetchaburi, Chai Nat and Ratchaburi – have been urged to execute the swift implementation of the country’s smart city and digital economy initiatives. The Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa) met with directors and representatives from each region to promote the proposed rules.

The committee met with Wanpen Mangsri, the Deputy Governor of Phetchaburi, and other government authorities. A discussion of the Phetchaburi Digital Economy Promotion Plan Draft No. 1/2023 was on the agenda for the meeting. Twenty representatives from local organisations (both governmental and private) were present together with Apichatbut Rodyang, the Director of depa for the Central and Eastern Area.

At the conference, attendees gave the green light to a proposal to boost the province of Phetchaburi’s digital economy. The summit also tasked the relevant agencies with working together to enhance the indicators to reflect the agencies’ goals more closely and help advance development challenges in all four domains.

Apichatbutr proposed strategies for future collaboration with government bodies. For the province to make tangible progress towards becoming the next smart city by driving the promotion and use of technology and digital innovation among business organisations, communities, farmers, students, and people.

Wanphen has said that the provincial office and depa would work together to polish the substance of the draught plan to enhance the digital economy in Phetchaburi Province. The proposal will be discussed and hopefully approved at the upcoming meeting of the Integrated Provincial Administration Committee (Bor.Bor.Jor).

A similar meeting was also carried out in Chainat City. The Chai Nat Provincial Municipal League arranged the “Preparation for the smart city development plan” forum. In the meeting, Pornchai Homchuen, Assistant Director General of Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa) in collaboration with Acting Sub Lt. Sarayut Boonlertkul, President of the Institute for Digital Economy and Society Development in the People’s Sector was attended as a guest speaker.

Jesada Si Phi Nong, Mayor of Chainat City, elaborated the meeting aims to create cooperation in pushing for the upgrading of municipal areas into areas for development, driving smart cities, and preparing local government organisations for digital transformation. The meeting was designed supports access system to government administration and service under the action of a smart city and the process of preparing for the proposal to be considered as a smart city, with Pornchai and his team giving advice.

Jesada said that upgrading municipal areas in Chainat Province to become part of the smart city development is a challenge for local governments. Because it requires a collaborative integration process, it must have a development partnership approach. In this regard, depa is ready to drive local government organisations in the Chai Nat province to continue the Smart City effort.

Moreover, Deputy Governor Warittha Sanguansermsri presided over the Ratchaburi Provincial Digital Promotion Plan meeting. At the meeting, she discussed with representatives from several organisations a proposed strategy to boost the province of Ratchaburi’s digital economy.

Concrete progress had been made with the help of Seksan Phanboonmee, Head of the Digital Economy Strategy Department Policy and Strategy Department and Rapeepat Numnaphol, Central Region Branch Manager, depa and the provincial executives. Watchara Ngamdee, Ratchaburi Province’s Statistician; Panadda Pengpan, Provincial Office Head; Sommai Sanlaad, National Telecommunications Public Company Ltd, also pushing the development of smart cities (Smart City) and discussing future collaboration.

Warittha expressed satisfaction that the depa recognised the potential of Ratchaburi Province. As Ratchaburi is situated on the plain of the Mae Klong River, most of its inhabitants work in agriculture. Nonetheless, government employees in Ratchaburi are ready to create a preliminary strategy to advance the province’s digital economy.

She reassured the provincial office to allocate an action plan and set up a meeting with the appropriate organisations to discuss it. The Integrated Provincial Administration Committee (B.P.E.) arrangement will review, approve, and incorporate the finalised draught into the provincial development plan.

The interaction helped to strengthen the programme and make it more thorough.

Singapore: Tech-Driven Transportation for a Sustainable Workforce

The Land Transport Industry Transformation Map (ITM) 2025 was unveiled by Minister of Transport S Iswaran. Developed by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in close collaboration with industry and union partners, the updated Land Transport ITM aims to create a sustainable and resilient land transport sector, a workforce that is future-ready, and a thriving ecosystem.

The Land Transport ITM 2025 will assist the industry in overcoming the immediate challenges of labour shortages and decarbonisation. It aims to accomplish three strategic outcomes, including A Future-Ready Workforce, A Sustainable and Resilient Land Transport Sector, and A Reliable and Cost-Effective Transport System through Innovation and Technology.

“Talent development and skills upgrading for workers remain key to the land transport sector’s transformation and resilience,” says Chee Hong Tat, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Transport and Co-Chair of the Future Economy Council (FEC) Connectivity Cluster. The LTA is collaborating with public transportation operators and unions to prepare workers for new challenges, ensuring that the workforce remains productive and future-ready.

The land transport industry, a critical pillar in enabling connectivity that supports the economy, can only do so thanks to the efforts of its employees. With over 100,000 employees, the workers perform a variety of roles such as bus captains, bus mechanics, customer service officers, railway engineers, station managers, and point-to-point (P2P) drivers.

The nature of work will also change as technology and digitalisation advance. As a result, under the revised ITM, the LTA will collaborate with the National Transport Workers Union (NTWU) and public transportation operators to train rail workers to use new and emerging technologies such as data and statistical analytics, as well as condition monitoring, to increase efficiency and productivity.

Since 2020, the Rail Manpower Development Incentive has helped over 2,900 workers improve their skills. Faults, for example, can be detected and physical checks reduced using video monitoring and image analysis.

Additionally, they are gradually enhancing the skills of their bus captains and technicians to operate electric buses. To create appropriate training programmes on cleaner energy buses for the bus workforce, the Singapore Bus Academy (SGBA) has been collaborating with pertinent stakeholders, including bus suppliers, Institutes of Higher Learning, NTWU, and bus operators.

To prepare the workforce to support Singapore’s push for vehicle electrification, LTA will also keep up its close collaboration with partners in the private transportation sector, such as tertiary institutions. Also, LTA will keep urging commuters to use public transportation or active transportation options under Walk Cycle Ride. By enhancing the infrastructure for EV charging and fortifying the EV regulatory framework, LTA is also encouraging greater adoption of EVs.

To increase the effectiveness of the land transportation system, industry and academic partners will use an open innovation strategy to draw on outside ideas. This includes decentralising data and working with others to develop creative solutions that will improve operational procedures and promote environmental sustainability.

To simplify outreach to industry partners, the LTA introduced the Land Transport Innovation Portal in September 2022 as a one-stop shop for all innovation-related issues. To assist partners in better understanding LTA’s requirements and identifying opportunities for co-innovation and collaboration, the portal disseminates operational problem statements from LTA as well as details on upcoming innovation events.

Additionally, it points potential innovators to the LTA DataMall’s data resources, which include over 130 static and dynamic datasets as well as a newly expanded catalogue of “On-Request Datasets” in an effort to spur more original ideas that can meet the needs of the land transportation industry.

New Smart Factory to Launch in Batu Kawan, Malaysia

A provider of Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) has announced plans to construct a Smart ‘Lights-Out’ Factory 4.0 in Batu Kawan, Penang, with an estimated cost of RM180 million. This development is expected to bring about significant changes in the Northern Peninsular region.

The factory will be involved in the production of Optical Modules, which are new 5G Advanced High Speed Optical Signal Transmitter and Receiver components for 5G wireless networks. The factory will use photonics and semiconductor technologies acquired through technology transfer from its US-based customer.

Construction of the Batu Kawan plant began in January 2023 and is expected to facilitate the first-ever technology transfer in Southeast Asia. This development is expected to enhance the skillset and competitiveness of the local workforce, and the plant is anticipated to hire around 1,000 highly skilled individuals once completed in the first half of 2024.

As part of their expansion plan announcement, the provider welcomed a delegation from the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) to their location in Sg. Petani. The delegation was led by the Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Investment Development) and included the Senior State Executive Council Member (Kedah) and a Member of Parliament from Kubang Pasu, Kedah.

The EMS provider which currently employs approximately 3,000 staff, (representing about 1% of the Sg. Petani population), has expressed its intention to collaborate with local universities and colleges in actively training fresh graduates to become industry-savvy. Their “hire local first” policy prioritises employing Malaysians from the surrounding area, thus reducing their dependency on foreign labour.

The Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Investment Development) of MIDA extended congratulations to the EMS provider, stating that they are pleased to see the company actively collaborating with local universities and colleges to train fresh graduates and improve their industry knowledge.

The company’s “hire local first” policy was also applauded for providing job opportunities to Malaysians in the surrounding area and reducing dependency on foreign labour, which in turn enhances the livelihoods of locals. These expansion plans are in line with the National Investment Aspirations (NIA) of attracting high-value investments to promote sustainable and comprehensive economic growth.

She added that Malaysia welcomes the firm’s expansion project, which utilises cutting-edge 5G technology, aligning with the government’s mandate for MIDA to drive the rapid digital transformation of the manufacturing sector. This development is expected to lead to improvements in productivity, job creation, and the enhancement of the skill set of Malaysians.

The new plant will implement the Lights-Out methodology, creating a fully networked environment that digitises material flow for autonomous manufacturing. A remote team of highly specialised experts will be responsible for data management, production planning, and quality control.

In addition to the Batu Kawan plant, the EMS provider is expanding its presence by constructing Smart Warehouses and an International Procurement Centre, which will feature Kedah’s first Vendor Management Inventory (VMI) system. These facilities, with a total cost of RM40 million, will cater to the provider’s own growing requirements and those of the surrounding industrial clusters in Sg Petani, Kedah, and Batu Kawan, Penang. The completion of these facilities is expected to be in 2024.

According to the firm’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the development of smart facilities is timely, given the Group’s expansion journey. The company has progressed from providing Printed Circuit Board Assembly (PCBA) and full-product box-build assembly to producing upstream 5G routers and soon 5G optical modules.

The provider aims to collaborate more closely with government authorities and agencies such as MIDA to increase the economic value of the state. Their current plant in Sg. Petani has already benefited from grants that encourage exports and innovation, and they hope to receive continued support for their future expansion plans.

In addition to grants, they appreciate open sessions for dialogue and feedback on current policies, so that government agencies can stay informed about the latest developments and challenges faced by industry players and formulate mutually-beneficial solutions.

March 21, 2023

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Singapore is well-positioned to be a living lab for smart cities solutions

Solving Singapore’s Urban Challenges with Geospatial Tech

Hong Kong: Reducing Emissions with Tech

Integrating Budgeting Apps to Simplify Services in Indonesia

Machine Learning for More Efficient Hash Functions

Thailand Expands Smart City and Digital Economy Initiatives to 3 Provinces

Singapore: Tech-Driven Transportation for a Sustainable Workforce

New Smart Factory to Launch in Batu Kawan, Malaysia

Recommended Stories

Solving Singapore’s Urban Challenges with Geospatial Tech

Hong Kong: Reducing Emissions with Tech

Integrating Budgeting Apps to Simplify Services in Indonesia

Machine Learning for More Efficient Hash Functions

Thailand Expands Smart City and Digital Economy Initiatives to 3 Provinces

Singapore: Tech-Driven Transportation for a Sustainable Workforce

Hong Kong: Reducing Emissions with Tech

Integrating Budgeting Apps to Simplify Services in Indonesia

Machine Learning for More Efficient Hash Functions

Thailand Expands Smart City and Digital Economy Initiatives to 3 Provinces

Singapore: Tech-Driven Transportation for a Sustainable Workforce

New Smart Factory to Launch in Batu Kawan, Malaysia

AI, Innovation to Improve Public Service in Indonesia

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