Epicor urges Budget 2027 to prioritise measurable technology gains
The technology company wants support for manufacturers to include workforce training and supplier development, particularly for SMEs.
Epicor has called for Budget 2027 to link support for manufacturing technology investments to measurable improvements in productivity, product quality and supply chain resilience. Its regional sales director for Malaysia and Singapore, Ben Lim, said SMEs especially needed help translating digital spending into sustained productivity improvements.
Responding to questions from Bernama, Lim said government assistance should be assessed against results such as reduced waste and downtime, improved quality and more highly skilled jobs, rather than technology adoption alone. He cited July manufacturing sales of RM177.3 billion, up 9.1 per cent year-on-year, with export-oriented industries contributing more than 72 per cent of sales.
Lim said manufacturers needed reliable data and operational processes to gain business value from artificial intelligence (AI). Keeping purchasing, production, finance and inventory information in disconnected systems or spreadsheets could hinder a consistent understanding of operations. He also advocated practical employee training covering data analysis, digital production planning and AI-enabled workflows.
For supply chains, Lim proposed assistance to broaden manufacturers’ supplier bases and markets and reduce dependence on single sources for critical materials. He said supplier-development programmes linking Malaysian SMEs to multinational companies and larger domestic manufacturers, alongside certification, technology and training support, could enable greater participation in higher-value supply chains.
Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to present Budget 2027 in Parliament on Oct 9, 2026.
