GEORGE TOWN, July 25 – While the speeding up of mass testing and vaccination remain Penang’s utmost priority, it is also committed to ensuring the sustainability of the business community amid the crisis, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
InvestPenang said that among others, the state has rolled out several initiatives for SMEs to adopt digitalisation, equipped businesses with the necessary skills and opportunities to engage potential customers in the new normal.
“In addition, due to the workforce reshuffling across industries and regions, the state government rides on this opportunity by implementing massive drives to attract nationwide talent and strengthen the existing talent pool in Penang.
“This is also to address the supply and demand in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) talents to meet the heightened demand for such workforce,” InvestPenang said in a statement issued after a virtual dialogue session between Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and industry representatives.
To ensure Malaysia’s business environment remained conducive, it said well-rounded measures that ascertain the balance of the citizens’ well-being, functional healthcare system and sustainable economy are needed.
Therefore, it said policymakers should carefully gauge the potential outcomes to prevent cascading effects in Malaysia’s position in the global supply chain and its status as a high-quality investment destination.
Meanwhile, Chow is upbeat on the prospect that 40 per cent of the adult population In Penang would be fully inoculated against COVID-19 by the third week of August, underpinned by the increase in vaccine administration to about 30,000 doses per day.
One of the conditions set by the National Security Council is that 40 per cent of the population need to be fully vaccinated before entering Phase 3 of the National Recovery Plan (NRP) and subsequently, all economic activities would be allowed to operate.
Despite the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, Chow expressed his confidence over the measures taken to minimise the impact and recognised the need to fine-tune those measures based on the latest developments.
“Recovery path in Penang remains intact and our target to achieve herd immunity by October is achievable, given sufficient vaccine allocation and optimisation of the vaccination centres,” he added.
