From the Chairman’s Desk
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e can all agree that Digital technology is essential to elevate Malaysia’s economy, and in driving new engines of economic growth. Malaysia’s leap into the digital economy journey has helped cushion the impact due to Covid-19 as we go through the recovery phase. Many businesses have pivoted towards the digital transformation to remain relevant and thrive through these challenging times. In recent months, Malaysia’s digital economy has been growing in leaps and bounds, and is expected to contribute 22.6% the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and create 500,000 jobs by 2025. We continue to see strategic collaborations between the private sector and government in driving the digital economy in Malaysia and all initiatives and incentives that were announced last year. As part of an effort to continuously support the recovery process, the Strategic Programme to Empower the People and Economy or PEMERKASA worth RM20 billion, along with a new fiscal injection by the government amounting to RM11 billion, was launched this year by the Prime Minister. PEMERKASA will focus on 20 strategic initiatives to boost economic growth, support business, and continue targeted assistance to the people and sectors that are still affected. This will complement the progress that we have made in areas of artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), big data and cybersecurity – all of which are constantly changing the way we live today. MY.IT features the route that technology has taken across the Malaysian landscape in this issue, and the impact of the digital wave on society in terms of business, education and lifestyle. This issue will give you an idea of PIKOM’s strategic focus and momentum in supporting the drive to achieve a digital economy in Malaysia. We have been involved in various economic and business engagement programmes that include policy advisory for businesses, talent development and cybersecurity to name a few. In addition to that, we applaud the MyDigital 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. We are also an industry partner with the PENJANA HRDF Place and Train programme to drive the upskilling
of Malaysian workers to embrace a knowledge-based economy with advanced technologies. In March this year, we organized the Data Centre + Digital Transformation seminar in collaboration with TimedotCom Sdn Bhd. We also presented 3 forwardthinking programmes for business growth as part of our efforts under the PENJANA HRDF Place and Train programme. In addition to that, we launched the PIKOM Tech Marketplace, a digital interactive space that includes an ecommerce marketplace, an exhibition showcases and a B2B meeting space, all in a single platform. We are very excited to be providing this platform for our members to exhibit their products and services. It will enable them to virtually connect with their customers and create more opportunities to gain new customers. With all of the aggressive digital transformation activities currently taking place, this platform aims to become the ultimate all-inone hub for our members to reach global markets. This issue also features the MSC Malaysia Asia Pacific ICT Awards 2020 (MSC Malaysia APICTA 2020) and the GBS Asia Awards 2020 which were held virtually. Congratulations to all the winners. The two cover stories in this issue are NEC Corporation of Malaysia and NexMind AI. NEC Corp has a strong footprint in the digital infrastructure in Malaysia and globally while NexMind is a revolutionary home-grown industry player with AI and Big Data on its agenda, that is transforming the digital landscape with innovative solutions. On this note, we wish all our members a stronger and more productive 2021. Stay Safe. Danny Lee PIKOM Chairman
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