Penang manufacturing industry needs to adjust production capacity to cope with COVID-19

The Penang government has directed the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) and InvestPenang to engage the manufacturing industry in the state to assess the possibility of adjusting their production capacities in coping with COVID-19 crisis.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said many health experts opined that the pandemic would not end at least in the next 18 months, which would see inevitable changes taking place in most areas, including people’s lives, government administration and business.

He said the state government had identified three key areas namely manufacturing, food centres, and the electrical and electronics industry that would be changing in line with the current situation.

“The state government is in the midst of formulating Penang’s next normal strategy comprising three missions to strengthen the ecosystem in Penang, to align the ecosystem to 21st-century changes and to build resilience to face any possible crisis in the future.

“From time to time, the state government will assess the impact of COVID-19 on the people and the economic sectors. As we focus on public health issues, we also need to take into account the economic well-being factors,” he said when winding up the debate on the motion of thanks for Penang Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas’s address at the State Legislative Assembly sitting here today.

The chief minister said Penang will implement economic reforms by encouraging the use of digital platforms, continuing development projects and intensifying efforts to attract foreign and domestic investments in an effort to increase employment opportunities for the people in the state.

“All of this will be the state government’s effort in post-COVID-19 era. Therefore, the state government hopes the federal government will share this vision and look at the values that Penang has in helping the country in the three areas,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chow said COVID-19 situation in the state is under control and closely monitored through the close cooperation of the agencies under the COVID-19 Task Force and the Penang State Security Committee on the Movement Control Order (MCO).

According to him, the state government does not need to impose an Enhanced MCO in any locality in Penang as the total number of cases recorded in the state as of noon yesterday was 119 with only one death.

The sitting which lasted two hours today was adjourned sine die.

Source: Bernama