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Opportunities in the country must be protected and delivered to local national companies to venture into developing a sustainable industry . No one else will assist us if we ourselves are not willing to take this charge .
● being a tacit knowledge resource — path dependent and hard to imitate .
HOW CAN WE FIX THIS ?
The issue of the Malaysian marine industry is compounded by numerous facets . No single factor can revitalise the industry as a whole . However there are some factors that are hierarchical in nature that upon addressing them in the first instance would greatly assist the other contributing factors . There is no simple solution to the present woes . But prioritising some action plans can be presented . Probably the following suggestions can be presented in order of priority .
1 ) Favorable procurement policy of preferring or mandating local or homegrown design and technology . Current procurement policy , which have aged and does not favour the national interest , must be reviewed . Vessels to be designed locally incorporating local parts and components must be put in place and adhered to rigorously .
2 ) Anoint a marine industry leader , but not from corporate circles , to champion the marine industry and be given the helm to chart industry growth and progress .
3 ) Centralise Government procurement when acquiring assets , especially in mandating local design and locally manufactured ship parts and components . For design , a national design centre is a sure way of ensuring technology is being developed and utilised .
4 ) Building major Government assets must be strategically and harmoniously shared among industry players and not monopolised as presently practised . All industry stakeholders must be presented with equal opportunities .
5 ) To ensure future sustainability , research and development must be enhanced adequately but through industry-driven research , particularly for products .
HARBINGER OF CHANGE
Leading edge technologies in marine technology are invading the industry . With what we have now , they are generating gaps that blunt our capability to compete within the shipbuilding and ship repair industry . Emerging technologies further aggravate our incompetence and uncompetitiveness . From the technology standpoint , we have to take part in the development of technological capabilities . We cannot , in all truthfulness , compete with the giants of the industry . We are severely handicapped in all aspects ; but this does not warrant us to subject ourselves to only consumerism . The future and its sustainability lies in our the ability to harness and develop technology .
As an industry , we have a responsibility to enhance the nation ’ s prosperity by generating growth for the future . But to achieve this , and be among the developed institutions of the world , we have to exert fully our trump card while overcoming exigencies . Opportunities in the country must be protected and delivered to local national companies to venture into developing a sustainable industry .
No one else will assist us if we ourselves are not willing to take this charge .
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