NewsStrategy

Accelerating the adoption of shared enterprise cloud services is among eight projects that have been identified under the Digital Malaysia initiative, according to Multimedia Development Corp (MDeC) CEO Datuk Badlisham Ghazali. The eight projects will be rolled out in phases starting this year.

Under the initiative, shared enterprise services will result in US$94.4 million (RM300 million) in public-private-partnership (PPP) investments, contribute RM1.68 billion to the gross national income (GNI) and create 710 high-value jobs by 2020.

MDeC and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) form part of the steering committee driving the Digital Malaysia initiative, which was unveiled by Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak last October.

As a whole, the initiative is expected to create 160,000 high-value jobs and result in about RM31.2 billion worth of investments based on a PPP model by 2020. It will also raise the information and communication technology's (ICT's) GNI contribution to 17% by 2020 from 9.8% in 2010, reaching RM294 billion.

The eight projects, Badlisham said, will be the first batch of many in the pipeline. Another project identified is the Asian e-Fulfilment Hub that seeks to develop Malaysia into the Asian hub for servicing cross-border e-commerce shipment into the region. This project is expected to need PPP-based investments worth RM620 million, while creating 1,622 jobs and a RM287 million GNI contribution by 2020.

Also highlighted is a project to enable e-payment services for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and micro enterprises. This project is expected to require RM600 million worth of PPP-based investments and generate 2,000 jobs as well as RM5 billion in GNI contribution.

Other projects include microsourcing for income generation, customized online education, embedded systems and a trusted mobile digital wallet platform.

MOSTI deputy minister Datuk Fadillah Yusof said Digital Malaysia's three strategic thrusts -- enabling digital entrepreneurs through demand-focused initiatives, nurturing IT-savvy talent and driving technology adoption and automation among SMEs to boost productivity  -- would foster a cohesive digital ecosystem.

MDeC is the agency that spearheads Malaysia's National Information & Communication Technology Initiative, the MSC Malaysia, formerly known as the Multimedia Super Corridor.