At a recent event organised by this magazine, a speaker proclaimed that Malaysia has no international brand other than Royal Selangor. Of course, he is not entirely correct.
We have many companies, both in the consumer and business-to-business sphere, that are world renowned. One out of four medical gloves in the world are produced by Top Glove. One out of six condoms in the world is made by Karex. JobStreet, a Malaysian brand that has now been acquired by Australia’s Seek, has presence in some 10 countries. These may not be household names to the average consumer, but as companies, they are international brands on their own right.
The better question is why are there so few world-class companies and international brands originating from this country? This cannot be from the lack of ingenuity or courage, for Malaysians have plenty of both.
One of the reasons, if I may suggest, is the abysmal number of Malaysians who have tertiary education. Only 1 out of 3 Malaysians have gone to university or college. Contrast this to almost 1 out of 2 Singaporeans and Thais. Or 90 percent of Koreans. China, which has a three-decade handicap behind us, now sees 1 in 2 young people attaining a college degree. Among our entrepreneur cohort, this percentage could even be lower.
This story is from the July 2019 edition of SME Magazine Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July 2019 edition of SME Magazine Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Cloud- Driven Recovery
With digital transformation being an important catalyst for Malaysia’s inclusive economic recovery, cloud computing plays an important role that enables . the country to acquire the advantages that technology offers.
Live Werkz: Venturing Beyond Southeast Asia
Being forward-looking in its approach has enabled LiveWerkz Pte Ltd to survive the Covid-19 pandemic, says vice president Tricia Ng. Despite being a Singaporean company, the company does not focus its efforts in the Southeast Asia region. Instead, Greater China and the Middle East become the foundation for its businesses. Ng tells SME the company’s strategies in facing a challenging future.
Singapore's Go Digital Well Received
More than 78,000 of Singapore’s SMEs have participated in the country’s Go Digital programme since its 2017 launch, with more about 40,000 becoming participants last year, including 30,000 that received Covid-19 incentives from the government.
Accountants And SMEs: Creating A Sustainable World
For SME finance professionals, ‘sustainability’ is about achieving longevity. However, there is a confusion over different definitions of sustainability. They recognise the growing importance of tackling sustainability issues but lack the understanding of how doing this can be integrated into day-to-day practices within the finance function.
Rebuilding Our Mental Well-Being In Sales
Sue Barrett is a writer, training provider and entrepreneur who founded Barrett in 1995 to positively transform the culture, capability and continuous learning of leaders, teams and businesses.
Omicron: A Test Of Resilence
Global manufacturers have been facing a supply chain crisis since the start of the year. Just as it appeared that the situation was beginning to stabilise, the Omicron Covid variant reared its ugly head.
Silver Lining In The Cloud
Although RAS Security Pte Ltd’s business was adversely affected by the pandemic, there’s a silver lining in the cloud. The occurrence has necessitated the company to innovate its business model to remain viable and led to the discovery of new areas of security service provision. Managing director Tejdeep Singh shares his journey.
Accelerating Artificial Intelligence
Singapore is introducing two new public artificial intelligence (AI) programmes as part of the strategy to use technology for social and economic good, involving a total allocation of S$680 million to accelerate AI research. The latest initiatives require a funding of S$180 million.
Three Tips For Hiring Top Talents
BIG EGOS LOSE TALENTS First up, when it comes to hiring, you must put aside your ego.
The Economy Is Recovering, But What About People?
All signs are pointing towards a speedy recovery. Contrary to what this writer initially predicted, the economy seems to be genuinely recovering.
