Lee says Pikom sees the initiative as a comprehensive plan to rejuvenate the public sector, empower the private sector, equip society, build first-class infrastructure and develop human capital.
KUALA LUMPUR: National Tech Association of Malaysia (Pikom) says MyDIGITAL, Malaysia’s digital economy blueprint will place Malaysia well among its peers in the region and globally.
Its chairman Danny Lee said Pikom sees the initiative as a comprehensive plan to rejuvenate the public sector, empower the private sector, equip society, build first-class infrastructure and develop human capital.
“As in any plan, execution will be key. If there is one area that we should take a deeper look at, it’s infrastructure.
“Malaysia currently does not fare well compared to its neighbours and other fast-developing countries, so this may require additional emphasis to ensure that we are quickly up to speed and globally competitive,” he told Bernama.
The MyDIGITAL initiative unveiled by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yasin on Friday, aims to complement the 12th Malaysia Plan and the Shared Prosperity Vision 2030.
Under the plan, Malaysia’s digital economy is expected to contribute 22.6 per cent to the nation’s GDP and also provide 500,000 job opportunities in the digital economy.
Meanwhile, Lee said reaching 100 per cent connectivity for all Malaysians was ideal, but more emphasis on the infrastructure for this to be achievable is crucial.
“Those who already have access to internet would now expect connection stability and security at all times, above and beyond affordable packages.
“We believe all sectors will benefit from this, directly or indirectly. Internet connectivity is part of technology, and information technology (IT) remains essential in all sectors for development, growth and productivity,” he added.
Lee said connectivity improvements and 5G technology would be imperative as Malaysia takes into account population growth and increased mobile penetration, as well as the continued consumption of data and content.
“This, however, applies more to those in urban areas. The infrastructure of 5G systems places great emphasis here as well.
“Manufacturing, agriculture, health (medicine), education and transportation are among the sectors that will greatly benefit from 5G,” he said.
According to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission’s report, internet users in Malaysia last year was at 88.7 per cent, an increase of 1.3 per cent from 2018. — Bernama