22-6-2023 (KUALA LUMPUR) Malaysia’s Communications and Digital Minister, Fahmi Fadzil, sees the United Kingdom’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) as a golden opportunity for Malaysia to position itself as the digital hub and launchpad for Southeast Asia. During the Ministerial Networking Luncheon with the Data Centre and Cloud Industry, Fahmi emphasized that Malaysia has the potential to become a regional leader in the digital realm, leveraging its upcoming policies, political stability, and economic growth prospects.
Fahmi suggested that Malaysia’s renowned slogan, “Malaysia Truly Asia,” can be reimagined as “Malaysia through to Asia” in the digital landscape. By fully harnessing the potential of the technology sector and attracting tech companies, Malaysia can pave the way for a prosperous digital decade and position itself as an ASEAN digital tiger.
Highlighting the UK’s focus on innovation, Fahmi pointed out that the country has become the world’s third-leading nation in terms of innovation, following the United States and China. The UK’s commitment to join the CPTPP as the first European nation further underscores its dedication to fostering economic collaboration and growth.
During the luncheon, 19 companies from the Data Centre and Cloud Industry cluster were awarded the prestigious Malaysia Digital (MD) status, indicating their significant contributions to the national strategic initiative. These companies collectively invested a total of RM59.34 billion and created 952 job opportunities. Fahmi personally presented the MD status certificates to six companies, including Amazon Web Services (AWS), AirTrunk, Equinix, EdgeConneX, K2 Data Centres, and Infinaxis Data Center Holdings, which have committed to investing over RM12 billion in Malaysia.
The luncheon also recognized the contributions of four local companies in the data centre and cloud industry: AIMS Data Centre, HeiTech Managed Services (HMS), CSF Advisers, and Exabytes.
Deputy Minister of Communications and Digital, Teo Nie Ching, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) Chairman, Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh, and MDEC Chief Executive Officer, Mahadhir Aziz, were among the notable attendees at the luncheon.
