MDEC, TM to jointly deliver and create impact for the many in Malaysia's Digital Economy

• Collaborating on 4 key areas including Digitally Empowered Businesses & Rural Digital
• Aim to deliver greater digital reach, economic impact for shared prosperity of all

Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) and Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) announced, yesterday, a collaboration to further strengthen the digital readiness of Malaysia, towards realising its Digital Nation aspirations.

The collaboration encompasses four key areas namely, to digitally empower Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs); to bolster rural digital economy; to empower Malaysians with digital skills; and to leverage on each other’s strengths in running digital advocacy and community engagement programmes. More significantly, it brings the two national organisations, MDEC and TM, together moving in tandem towards delivering greater digital reach and economic impact for the shared prosperity of all Malaysians.

Under the MoU, TM and MDEC will work together in matching, introducing and connecting TM with MDEC’s MSME ecosystem and established partners such as Perkhidmatan eDagang Setempat (PeDAS) programme, Pusat Internet Desa (PID) and Digital Xcellerator (DX), as well as TM’s MSME customers to offer products and solutions in TM’s identified technology pillars towards further empowering the SME fraternity.

This will pave the way towards producing business and technology savvy entrepreneurs, MSMEs who will then drive economic growth. Towards empowering the rural digital economy, both organisations will explore the initiatives to further expand connectivity infrastructure that in turn, can help enable mentoring and coaching to communities on how to increase the utilisation of emerging technology to improve business operations.

Both parties will also look into organising training and workshops to enhance the digital skills and competencies of identified communities as well as TM employees, while at the same time building competent graduates to increase their employability. This includes promoting the awareness on 4^th Industrial Revolution (IR4.0) related skills to teachers, students and youth to equip them for the digital era.

Commenting on the collaboration, Mohd Bakke Salleh, Chairman of TM said: “We are excited and thrilled to join hands with MDEC in this milestone effort. Both national organisations will explore common ground and embark on the best initiatives towards establishing a solid foundation for the country’s Digital Economy and to elevate Malaysia into a Digital Nation. This is also in line with TM’s aspirations and unique role as the enabler of Digital Malaysia.”

Bakke added, “What TM will bring to the table are our comprehensive infrastructure as well as our capabilities to reach out to not only our wide customer base but to more Malaysians nationwide, through our various touchpoints and engagement platforms.  As we continue to engage with the communities to increase their awareness on digital solutions and how it can help fulfill their needs; we are also working to provide the future digital workforce with the right skills for a digital business ecosystem. As the national connectivity and digital infrastructure provider, we have always and will continue to support the Government’s aspirations in increasing connectivity reach to all.”

Sharing his thoughts on the collaboration, Rais Hussin, MDEC chairman, says, "MDEC’s collaboration with TM will complement “Malaysia 5.0” as the new narrative for introducing emerging technologies that will focus on accelerating the growth of Malaysia’s digital economy in three primary areas: empowering Malaysians with digital skills, enabling digitally-powered businesses, and driving digital investments. Predominantly, the MDEC-TM joint effort is crucial to the new ‘Malaysia 5.0’ digital economy which will enable greater access and connectivity that will allow the nation to realise the full potential that the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) holds for the economy. This goes to show that we are determined to surge the digital economy agenda for the many and to firmly establish Malaysia as the heart of digital ASEAN.”

In addition, the collaboration will look at potential community engagements via digital platforms for the knowledge sharing of products and solutions from both parties to address the communities’ needs.

With this MoU in place, MDEC and TM will leverage on each other’s strengths and complement areas where each entity requires further support towards a higher purpose of realising a Digital Malaysia and the benefits that it will give to more Malaysians; ensuring that no one will be left behind in this digital era and IR4.0.