KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia aims to be a regional leader in the digital economy by 2030 with the launch of MyDIGITAL and the Malaysian Economic Digital Blueprint.

These will pave way for the government in transforming the nation into a high-income country b y leveraging on technology and digitisation.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department of Economic Affairs Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said Malaysia need to address challenges so that the goal of reducing digital gap can be achieved.

These include low quality and coverage of broadband services, incomprehensive provision of digital infrastructure and insufficient digitally skilled workforce. 

"The Covid-19 pandemic has prompted the government, the private sector and the community, to step up all our efforts to master digital technology," he said at the launching ceremony of MyDIGITAL and the Malaysian Economic Digital Blueprint here today.

Mustapa said the current trend of gig economy is gaining traction particularly for the gig worker services and rising demand for digitally skilled manpower.

"The government is aware of the importance of introducing specific policies to capitalise on opportunities in the digital economy.

"The Economic Planning Unit has been mandated to formulate the Malaysian Digital Economic Framework," he said.

Mustapa said the blueprint had taken into account the views and inputs of various stakeholders, including the general public, industry and government agencies, thus ensuring a comprehensive framework.

Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah and Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (Mosti) Minister Khairy Jamaluddin is also involved in preparing the blueprint with several outlines that will be implemented until 2030.

"It sets the country's vision of becoming a regional leader in the digital economy while achieving inclusive, responsible and sustainable socio-economic development," he said.

Mustapa said the blueprint has three policy objectives, namely, encouraging industry players to become creators and consumers of innovative business models.

Secondly, to produce human capital capable of competitiveness and thirdly, to foster an integrated ecosystem that will enable communities to participate in the digital economy.

The government has identified six strategic thrusts for the blueprint to drive digital transformation in the public sector, enhancing economic competitiveness through digitisation, develop digital infrastructure and digitally skilled workforce while creating an inclusive, secure and ethical digital environment.

The implementation of this blueprint is divided into three phases, with phase one - strengthening the basis of digital usage from this year until next year, and phase two, which is between 2023 and 2025, driving inclusive digital transformation.

Phase 3, which is from 2026 to 2030, to make the country a regional leader in the field digital content and cybersecurity.

Mustapa said Malaysians must be prepared to face the digital world wave responsibly while seizing the benefits of the technology.

"The government is acutely aware of the difficulties faced by children, including parents, in dealing with online learning.

"Hence, MY Device initiative will be introduced to ensure that all students in Malaysia have access to digital devices for learning purposes by 2025," he said, adding that this initiative will be implemented through cooperation between the government, the private sector and the public.

He said free data will be provided to students from vulnerable groups in line with the country's target of becoming a regional leader in the digital economy by 2030.

"This target coincides with the strength of Malaysia which consists of various cultural and multilingual backgrounds as well as a workforce that is easily adapted to change.

"The focus will be on creating digitally literate businesses as well as successfully operating services from the beginning to the end and driving innovation that is capable of transforming the industry," he said.

Mustapa said businesses will be able to leverage on a wider market through digitisation as well as to increase competitiveness.

"We are committed to digitising the government sector to improve our services to allow the people to deal with government offices without having to be physically present, such as counter services for payment of utility bills, road tax and so on," he said.

These improvements not only make it easier for the people to deal with government agencies but also improve the delivery of public services as well as the transparency and integrity of civil servants, he said.

In November 2020, the government established the National Digital Economy and Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) Council to lead all national digitisation initiatives chaired by the Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

The council's objectives by 2025 include all students have access to online learning, 80 per cent of government services and processes to be done via online from start to finish, all ministries and agencies provide cashless payment facilities and digitalizing micro, small and medium enterprises that are the backbone of the economy.

He said this will position Malaysia to enjoy greater opportunities to develop and grow at the domestic, regional and even global levels through the return of digitisation.

https://www.nst.com.my/business/2021/02/667027/malaysia-aims-regional-leader-digital-economy-2030