Datuk Mohd Ali Hanafiah Mohd Yunus, the Chief Operating Officer of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), has stressed the importance of swift policy implementation by the government and regulators to drive digital transformation, with the potential to support both social and economic objectives. He emphasized the regulator’s role in fostering an open and facilitating environment for digital markets within the ever-evolving digital landscape.
Speaking at the Malaysia ICT Summit, organized by Huawei Technologies (M) Sdn Bhd, Mohd Ali urged all stakeholders to embrace digitalization, highlighting its critical role in maximizing the nation’s digital potential, empowering its citizens, and advancing toward a prosperous and economically robust future.
As of August 2023, Malaysia achieved commendable 5G network coverage of 68.8% in populated areas, with average 5G download speeds ranking among the top five globally. Malaysia is on course to reach its target of 80% 5G network coverage in populated areas by the end of 2023 and transition to a dual network model from the existing single wholesale network.
Mohd Ali stressed that the advent of 5G would revolutionize the landscape for countries and businesses, leading to the emergence of new business models and the blurring of traditional boundaries as innovation spans diverse sectors. The Malaysian government is confident that 5G will act as an accelerator for the nation’s digital economy.
While noting the 7.4% penetration rate of 5G subscriptions, equivalent to around 2.49 million subscriptions as of August 2023, Mohd Ali also highlighted an encouraging uptrend in 5G adoption month by month. He emphasized the need for continued efforts to fully realize the potential of 5G.
The two-day ICT summit seeks to promote ICT innovation, infrastructure development, and sustainable growth opportunities in Malaysia’s digital economy and industrial sectors.