Economic affairs minister Mustapa Mohamed said this effort is in line with the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP), the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint (MyDigital) and UN Sustainable Development Goals.
He said the decision was made at the fourth meeting of the National Digital Economy and Fourth National Industrial Revolution (4IR) Council chaired by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob today.
“For 25 years, the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), through the MSC Malaysia initiative, has succeeded to increase the contribution of the digital economy from zero to more than 20% of gross domestic product by 2021,” he said in a statement today.
Mustapa said that as at Dec 31, 2020, MSC Malaysia had helped the country raise investments of more than RM384 billion and revenue of RM588 billion.
He said the country had grown into a global digital economic power, being ranked among the top three in the Kearney Global Services Location Index since 2004.
“Hence, efforts to digitalise the people’s economy and popularise the digital economy will continue,” he said.
He also said the government was satisfied with the implementation of the National Digital Network Plan (Jendela) through the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) with a total of 6.427 million premises having fibreoptic access, average mobile broadband speed increased to 31.34 megabits per second, and 4G coverage increased to 94.03% in populated areas until the third quarter of 2021.
“The 5G network throughout Malaysia will be implemented aggressively to achieve the target of 80% coverage in populated areas by 2024 to ensure the country is on par with neighbouring countries in the near term,” he said.
To encourage the adaptation of digital technology by micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), he said, MyDigital Corp would organise the National MSME Digitisation Empowerment Programme 2021 from Nov 21 to 23.
The programme would be held in collaboration with various ministries, MDEC, MCMC and other government agencies and private entities.
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