From the Chairman’s Desk Danny Lee PIKOM Chairman When COVID-19 struck the world, it resulted in ‘new norms’ across businesses, education and government. Nearly overnight, movement restriction orders were issued, limiting social gatherings, in-person business operations, and educational activities, among others. Today as the world continues to battle the pandemic, digitalisation has experienced rapid acceleration. Now digitalisation dominates both frontline and back-end operations, while empowering the world with unique virtual capabilities to navigate the challenges and maintain a semblance of normalcy. Under these circumstances, as a community of IT professionals and business owners, PIKOM has gained tremendous momentum despite the challenges. Over the last several months, our office bearers, council members and advisers have been actively involved in engaging both the government and the public sector in our efforts to further drive digitalisation in Malaysia. We have had the opportunity to participate in various dialogues, advisory consultations and discussions on policies as well as issues relating to the country’s digital roadmap. I am pleased to share that I have had the opportunity to represent PIKOM in the Communications and Multimedia Consultative Council, the Digital Productivity Nexus (DPN), tech industry budget planning with the Ministry of Finance, and a committee member with the National Science Council. We have also been working closely with Akademi Sains Malaysia for talent development, with MDEC on eCommerce strategic growth, MCMC on data centre licensing and the Customs Department on tax-related issues. As the voice of the tech industry, we have also submitted several proposal papers to the government on matters related to IT as essential service, our sentiments on the cabotage exemption policy, eCommerce policy and DST, among others. Last year, our plans to host WCIT Malaysia 2020 in Penang was halted due to the pandemic. Fortunately, seeing how serious we are to have the Olympics of the ICT return to Malaysia, WITSA has awarded PIKOM as the organiser of WCIT Malaysia 2022. Despite all these challenges, it has been a blessing in disguise for PIKOM this year. The Launch of PIKOM Tech Fair 2021, powered by Fusionex, introduced Malaysia’s first, large-scale virtual technology exhibition in Malaysia, showcasing over 20,000 SKUs by tech exhibitors and has now drawn more than 500,000 attendees. We have pivoted from a physical venue to digital space where PIKOM members and businesses can connect virtually
with customers and explore new opportunities. You will find weekly special deals at the PIKOM Tech Marketplace https://pikom.fxvep.com/techfair/home. In driving talent development in the IT sector, PIKOM signed an MoU with Asia e-University to upskill digital talents and graduates. We also continue working with HRDCorp on the Penjana HRDF’s Place and Train Programme in areas of Cybersecurity, AI, IOT, Data Analytics and many others. The month of September saw the launch of Women in Tech Chapter. The Chapter is set up to provide a platform for all women who work in the ICT industry, from both the users and vendors of technology, to engage with each other. There are also plans for WIT to provide support via mentoring efforts, to assist women in achieving their professional goals and aspirations. September also saw PIKOM and PIKOM CIO Chapter teaming up to lend a helping hand during this difficult period. The pandemic has left the most vulnerable among us in dire situations. We are working with various organisations on the ground that are able to provide support to individuals and families that need them the most. This includes helping to provide food aid, basic toiletries and educational stationery. To date, we have collected RM47,250 and disbursed RM40,000 through the PIKOM Helping Hand Program. A big thank you to Veeam for lending a helping hand to the community. Veeam and its employees contributed RM20,000 to Yayasan Chow Kit through the PIKOM Helping Hand Program. We have also distributed the contributions to Muhibbah Food Bank Malaysia Society and Refuge for the Refugees. We also thank corporates like Firmus, Fusionex and many individuals who have come forward to lend us a helping hand. This is a continuous programme and we look forward to your continuous support. This month’s MyIT publication reflects how busy we have been with the numerous webinar series, engagement sessions and PIKOM Members Meet. Also, catch the exciting cover stories on Huawei’s 20-year journey in Malaysia’s IT landscape and EKTech’s foray into digital surveillance. The next few weeks will be equally exciting for us. Look out for our Economic and Digital Job Market Outlook in Malaysia 2021 and the GBS Talent Report, which will be distributed to all members. Also, lock your dates and join us for the upcoming PIKOM Leadership Summit, The Future of Cybersecurity Summit and the Annual PIKOM Unicorn Night, all happening this November. Till then, stay safe, stay strong, march on.
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