Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR4.0) is still considered new in Malaysian business landscape. Terms like Big Data and cloud-computing are familiar to only a few, especially young, local industry players. The challenging part is the acceptance and perception of information technology (IT) by baby boomers who view IT as an additional cost instead of investment. We want to educate the business owners on the importance of becoming data-driven organisations so that they will be able to make better and informed business decisions. Mr. Mohd Farid Mohd Nor, Managing Director, Global Digital Technologies Sdn Bhd

Hotel Semabok Inn (HSI) commenced business on 27 April 1997 as a budget hotel with fifty rooms to provide quality affordable accommodation for tourists and business travellers in the Historical City of Melaka. It is owned and operated by The Semabok Inn Sdn. Bhd. (TSISB). In 2019, HSI partnered the OYO hospitality chain to further widen its global and regional market visibility. The daily operations of the hotel are carried out by young and dedicated staff. Ms. Celine Tiu sees the year 2020 as a very challenging one for HSI. In total, about 300 budget hotels are operating in Melaka. The primary focus for HSI in 2020/2021 is to sustain operations by re-strategising to increase the room occupancy rate, increase revenues, reduce costs protect cash flow, maintain the workforce and implement new measures to realise these objectives.

In 2019, KPJ Ipoh ventured into an ambitious project involving the digitalisation of its operation. Dubbed as “Advanced Appointment and Live Queuing System” in partnership with Encore Med company, the project won gold award in Asian Hospital Management Awards 2019 in Hanoi, Vietnam and International Convention on Quality Control Circle (ICQCC) Tokyo, Japan, which strongly implies the significance of the project in Asian healthcare industry. The team also took part in Hari Mekar Kumpulan Johor Corporation (JCorp) Innovative and Creative Circle (ICC) convention in November 2019, on behalf of KPJ Healthcare Berhad to share the innovation and improvement in healthcare facilities and subsequently won the first runner up. All of these participations also clearly demonstrated KPJ Ipoh’s determination to further improve its productivity level.

The digital economy will be a critical factor in Malaysia’s economic recovery. We have seen a significant shift in the business landscape, with more local SMEs digitalising their businesses by going online. Since beginning of 2020, the number of new sellers on Lazada increase by 300% as Malaysians increasingly look towards online solutions for their everyday needs. With one-third of Malaysians shopping on our platform every month, we hope our stimulus packages such as the Pakej Kedai Pintar and partnership with the government on the ringgit-for-ringgit co-funding program along with the medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) eCommerce campaign will assist SMEs to get back on their feet and speed up their recovery. Mr. Leo Chow, Chief Executive Officer, Lazada Malaysia.

PTA First is currently thriving as the largest Malaysian Electrical Appliance Store in the wholesale and retail trade in the east coast region. In order to maintain its achievements, PTAF is always offering attractive pricing strategies to help the locals to own the electrical appliances they’ve always wanted to have. However, to stay competitive in the market, business strategies have to be tied up with the effort to reduce waste through LEAN projects. A total of four LEAN projects were conducted, starting from 14th of March and ended on 6th of September 2017.Through these projects, PTAF is not only able to eliminate wastages in existing work processes; it can also increase service quality to customers which subsequently contributes to the company’s revenue. Haji Anuar Husain, Founder, PTA First (M) Sdn Bhd.

As its name suggests, Multitasker Enterprise provides a varied adventure package ranging from basic, easy-going trails for beginners, to hardcore tracks that involve a mélange of strenuous activities like hiking, jungle trekking, rock climbing, and gorge walking for seasoned thrill seekers. ME’s adventures carry the ICAN seal of approval in recognition that we are among the best adventure operators in the region. That the majority of ME canyoning participants consisted of international tourists is testament to our service quality. Additionally, the MaTex certification signifies ME’s commitment in safeguarding our clients’ safety by adhering to a comprehensive SOP. We take pride in our initiative to enhance the competency of UPM students, and paving the way for them to become dynamic adventure sports operators in the near future. Mr Nasri Rifin, Founder & Managing Director, Multitasker Enterprise.

The LK Fresh™ brand and Certified Humane® certification have helped position Liang Kee Farming as an innovative agribusiness enterprise. Our holistic marketing strategy has encouraged Malaysian consumers to increasingly embrace the philosophy of humane and organic livestock farming techniques. People are now paying more attention to food production safety and quality. Mr Tan Leng Yee, Managing Director, Liang Kee Farming Sdn Bhd

TRIZ tool is a must in all of SME companies as it helps business owners to think outside the box in improving the existing work process, especially in resolving any production issues. By reducing errors in the work process, we will be able to produce high quality products and increase customer satisfaction at the same time. The application of the TRIZ tool in our company is a testament of its effectiveness in increasing overall productivity in not only the giant corporations, but also among small scale businesses like SMEs. Mr. Shahul Hameed Malim Abu Bakar Director ABM Zulaikha Sdn Bhd

The task of developing ZM to become one of the tourism products in Malacca is not a oneday job. It requires effective and strategic implementation that embed a deep understanding of what the public wants and the current trend in the tourism sector. There are three important elements that greased the wheels of operation and simultaneously made the park a must-see destination – expanding the number of the wildlife, ensuring optimal cleanliness of the exhibits and improving the visitor comfort level. YBhg. Tuan Shadan Bin Othman, Yang Dipertua MPHTJ

Bukit Jugra is one of the famous natural attractions among the Selangor residents, particularly the jungle trekkers who like to spend their leisure time jungle trekking there. KJOS saw this as an opportunity to create affordable and attractive jungle trekking packages to its visitors since its activities are all certified by the Malaysia Tourism Excellence (MaTEX). Furthermore, we are also aiming to provide the best service to our participants by prioritising their safety while ensuring they have a memorable and valuable experience with us. Mr Khairuddin Jaffar, Founder, KJ Outdoor Services.