CYBERJAYA: Malaysia's digital advancement strategy must prioritise rapid digital competitiveness that is comparable to other nations, with emphasis on a more aggressive and comprehensive approach to digital programmes, said Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo.
According to him, the rapid pace of digitalisation presents both opportunities and challenges.
“As technology continues to evolve, our policies and initiatives must keep pace to maximise the economic and social benefits for all Malaysians.
“In spearheading the next phase of Malaysia’s digitalisation journey, the Ministry of Digital is strengthening our shared foundations to ensure government sectors and industries are better equipped to drive economic growth, attract investments, and enhance the nation's competitiveness regionally and globally,” Gobind said in his keynote address at the launch of TM One Innovation Lab and TM One Enterprise 5G Lab yesterday.
He added that the ministry aims to foster a digital-first mindset and promote higher digital technology adoption across both the public sector and private sector.
“As we march ahead into 2024 and with the establishment of the Ministry of Digital, the government has strengthened its commitment to support businesses, expedite digitalisation and automation initiatives by providing substantial allocations, engagements, training and collaboration opportunities,” Gobind said.
Guided by the Malaysia Madani vision of sustainability and innovation, he said these initiatives aim to enhance the country's economic growth and competitiveness and enable businesses to leverage the capabilities of digital technologies.
In addition, he pointed out that digitalisation, technology adoption and innovation are essential for Malaysia’s sustainable economic growth, underscoring the transformation of various sectors, promoting equitable digital inclusion and solidifying Malaysia’s position as a digital hub in the region.
“To achieve this, Malaysian businesses must recognise the shared responsibility in contributing to the development of an ecosystem that encompasses solid digital infrastructure, supportive policies and a skilled workforce.
“Transforming our businesses is key to driving Malaysia's digital economy. By refining internal processes, boosting efficiency and fostering innovative business models, we can collectively contribute to the overall growth of the digital economy,” Gobind added.
Meanwhile, he said labs serve as a testing ground for new ideas and innovations, allowing for the rapid prototyping and development of new digital services and solutions.
He remarked that TM One’s labs are digital hubs promoting innovative collaboration; the creation of artificial intelligence-enhanced digital solutions; and the development of industry-specific applications leveraging the high-speed 5G network.
“This is the first that I've seen here (that) demonstrates the 5G showcase but at the end of the day, we need to move ahead. These are one of the things that my ministry is looking at on how we can do this, both at federal, state and also local government levels,” he said, adding that moving ahead, his ministry will conduct further discussions on the matter.
He added that there is a possibility that there will be more similar labs established in the future.
Located at the TM Digital Academy in Multimedia University, the labs are a part of TM One’s continuous efforts to build collaborative ecosystems to drive equitable digital progress. Both labs enable immersive engagement, dialogue and knowledge sharing, accelerated decision-making as well as tailored relationships.
