KUCHING: The Covid-19 pandemic has prompted the logistics industry to re-evaluate and restructure its operational strategies towards digitalisation.
Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) director Datuk Mohammad Medan Abdullah said this was very important for the logistics industry to increase productivity and business flow which are the foundation of business sustainability.
“Local logistics service providers, therefore, need to shift towards the 4th Industrial Revolution such as using Internet of Things, Big Data, and digitalisation to make them more relevant,” he said in his preface in the Matrade Bulletin April 2021 Edition.
He mentioned during the implementation of the movement control order (MCO) nationwide, the logistics industry especially e-trade and e-fulfilment services were identified as essential services and allowed to operate.
“Goods, especially food deliveries and groceries were among those in high demand,” he said.
The Bintulu Port Holdings Berhad (BPHB) Group chief executive officer added that various government agencies including Matrade do facilitate initiatives including grants to enable local logistics service providers to compete with others internationally.
“The performance of foreign trade also gives us the confidence that the country is on firm footing in its quest for a sustainable economy in the long run,” he said.
He said that the trade surplus recorded last year is the largest so far, which showed an achievement in sustaining trade surplus for 23 consecutive years since 1998.
“It is recorded that the trade surplus increased 26.9 percent to RM184.79 billion compared to the year 2019,” he said.
Lastly, he also called on Matrade to play an important role in restoring and strengthening the country’s trade, investment performance as well as the Malaysian economy in general to achieve Vision of Shared Prosperity 2030 aimed at enabling all Malaysians to have a decent standard of living by 2030.
