This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly on February 22, 2021 - February 28, 2021
MALAYSIA Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) has pledged support and commitment towards making MyDIGITAL a key driver of national development and success, says its chairman Datuk Dr Rais Hussin Mohamed Ariff.
“MDEC, with the full support of the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia Malaysia, will continue to lead the digital economy forward; centred on ensuring shared prosperity for the many, and towards realising Malaysia 5.0,” he says in response to the launch of MyDIGITAL.
From a digital skills and jobs perspective, MDEC has accelerated efforts to expand the digital capabilities of Malaysians, he adds.
To date, more than 3,800 free courses have been offered, with more than 21,000 successful applications. The MyDIGITALmaker initiative has benefited some 1.6 million school students nationwide, he states.
“Each year, our Premier Digital Tech Institutions produce an average of 7,800 graduates with an average graduate employment rate of 95% (achieved in 2018/19). More than 240 lecturers have learned and immersed themselves in the latest industry technologies via ecosystem partnerships.
“We also saw more than 25,000 students enrolled in digital technology courses in 2019, a 40% increase from when the initiative started in 2017,” says Rais.
Various initiatives have also been rolled out in an effort to digitalise and automate businesses, he continues.
This includes 100GoDigital, SME Digital Accelerator, Smart Automation Grant and SME Digital Quickwins to ensure small businesses are properly equipped to navigate the benefits and challenges of the digital economy.
Through these initiatives, more than 335,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have been onboarded onto e-commerce marketplaces. On digital investments, Rais says Malaysia has attracted investments of RM345 billion to date, creating close to 185,000 jobs.
In 2020 alone, new investments by pure-play technology companies stood at RM3.98 billion, while RM2.01 billion in new investments was recorded by digital services companies.
“I believe Malaysia has got what it takes and we at MDEC will give what we have got to ensure that together, we will make MyDIGITAL the only way forward towards realising a shared future of prosperity for all Malaysians in line with the vision of Malaysia 5.0,” Rais states.
Cyberview Sdn Bhd, the tech hub developer mandated to spearhead the development of Cyberjaya, shares similar sentiments regarding the blueprint. “The much-awaited MyDIGITAL blueprint marks a monumental milestone for Malaysia’s growth as a high-income nation,” says its managing director, Najib Ibrahim.
“The past year has truly revealed the full potential and resiliency of digitalisation in ensuring our growth and continuity as a key market in the region. We are confident that this blueprint will help our progress as a digital nation in the new normal, in line with the Shared Prosperity Vision 2030. Cyberjaya as a global tech hub is well positioned to play a role in the implementation of the blueprint,” he adds.
Serba Dinamik Holdings Bhd group managing director and CEO Datuk Dr Mohd Abdul Karim Abdullah also welcomed the road map.
“With MyDIGITAL, Malaysians will benefit tremendously in all aspects of life — education, healthcare, communication and connectivity — making us among the most technologically advanced people in the world,” says Karim.
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