It’s been a long time since I last wrote here. Honestly, I wasn’t sure anyone still reads these entries—but after checking the stats, I realised that people do read my writings. Sometimes, I miss meeting familiar faces, those who once shaped who I was. Time changes everything, and for me, the one truth I’ve held on to is the linearity of time. Still, we all feel time differently—like the cave dwellers mentioned in the Quran and other Abrahamic teachings who slept for centuries and woke up thinking it had only been a day.
Why I’m Writing About Industrialisation
Recently, a meme caught my attention. It joked about how Trump’s America had to deindustrialise just to relearn how to make basic tools and daily products. It made me reflect on Malaysia and how far we’ve come.
Malaysia has long been considered an industrial nation. We’ve built factories, entered global trade, and now we even talk about high-tech data centres. But let’s zoom into one humble but essential sector: the paper industry.
The Paper Industry: More Than Just Paper
We often overlook how versatile paper is. From raw pulp, we create:
- Tissue
- Toilet paper
- Diapers
- Cardboard
- Paper packaging
- School supplies
- Food wrappers
All of these start from materials like wood pulp, recycled paper, and various chemicals. The process is long, and factories involved are not small—many are huge and employ chargemen and machine operators. That means there's a demand for skilled labour to manage high-powered industrial machines.
Key Machines in a Large-Scale Paper Factory
Some of the machines commonly found in a full-scale operation include:
- Pulpers – break down wood into fibre
- Presses – remove water from pulp
- Dryers – heat and dry the paper
- Winders – roll up finished paper
- Cutters – cut paper into usable sizes
To run these machines safely and efficiently, technical knowledge is essential, especially when dealing with high voltages and heavy machinery. This is where the role of chargemen becomes crucial.
Why Industrialisation Matters for Malaysia
According to the Economic Complexity Index (ECI), Malaysia’s manufacturing sector is fairly complex—ranking higher than many other developing countries. For example, Penang alone contributes 30.5% of Malaysia’s total exports. We’re not just producing rubber and palm oil—we’re assembling electronics, exporting chips, and now moving into EV-related manufacturing, like Tesla and Infineon.
More companies are choosing Malaysia because of political stability, strategic location, and a skilled but affordable workforce. Sectors like data centres and tech manufacturing are becoming more prominent.
My Own Perspective as a Blue-Collar Worker
I’ll be honest: I know I’ll probably stay in blue-collar or minimum wage work for a while. And that’s fine with me. I just want to see our country progress. I hope more Malays like me will be encouraged to join the workforce, not just rely on imported manpower.
My dad is a technician. He always says, “Operator work isn’t that hard—but technician work is tougher.” Still, Malaysia needs 3D workers—dirty, dangerous, and difficult jobs. And if locals won’t do it, then I will. I’d rather work as an operator than let the opportunity go to waste.
Conclusion
Industrialisation is not just about machines—it’s about people. It shapes our economy, brings in investment, and gives us purpose. From paper mills to data centres, Malaysia is moving forward. I just hope the people move forward too—with job security, dignity, and a future they can shape with their own hands.