Talk on Logistics Ecosystem

Front row: Dr Mohammad Falahat (third from left) and Kenneth Tiong (fourth from left) with the audience

A talk titled “The Logistics Ecosystem: How are we measuring up?” was jointly organised by the Centre for Sustainable Development and Corporate Social Responsibility in Business (CSDCSR) and Faculty of Accountancy and Management (FAM) at Sungai Long Campus on 7 August 2018.

Invited to deliver the talk was The Associated Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Malaysia (ACCCIM) Deputy Chairman of Logistics and Transport Committee Kenneth Tiong. He has served ACCCIM for more than 10 years and has been active in logistics and transport for more than 35 years, as a logistics practitioner as well as resource person for United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Trainmar programme) and United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (Multimodal Transport programme). In 2013, under Malaysia Productivity Corporation, he published a guidebook titled “Guidebook for Import and Export Procedures in Malaysia - A Practical Toolkit”. In 2014, he was awarded the World Customs Organization Certificate of Merits for his contributions towards “Innovation for Customs Progress”. Another guidebook titled “Guidebook on Starting Warehousing Business in Malaysia” was published early this year.

Kenneth Tiong introducing logistics to the audience

Before he began his talk, Kenneth Tiong introduced logistics and shared the concept and impact of delayed logistics through a video screening. “Logistics is about the ‘Six R’, namely Right goods, Right quantity, Right place, Right time, Right cost and Right condition. Logistics refers to the process of planning, implementing and the controlling of procedures for an efficient and effective transportation and storage of goods including services, and related information from the point of origin to the point of consumption for the purpose of conforming to the customers’ requirements. In short, logistics is about a set of distribution-activities that make products available to customers, when and where they need them.”

He then continued, “Logistics management is about how you manage the activities of logistics. Logistics management commonly includes the activities of transportation, warehousing, inventory and stock control, communication and information systems, packaging and manufacturing management. It is about the science and art of moving goods.”

Audience listening attentively

Moreover, he shared with the audience on the importance of logistics, what does the term “unstructured supply chain” and “planned or optimized supply chain” means, why logistics is related to supply chain management and what are the three movers in shaping the landscape. “Logistics is crucial to a company because 10% of the total sales revenue of a company goes into logistics,” said Kenneth Tiong.

The talk then ended with an interactive Q&A session, followed by a souvenir presentation from CSDCSR Chairperson Dr Mohammad Falahat Nejadmahani to Kenneth Tiong.

Dr Mohammad Falahat (right) presenting a token of appreciation to Kenneth Tiong