This year marked a tremendous growth for Malaysia’s digital economy. As we come to the close of an exciting and accelerating 2016, it is with deep satisfaction that I reflect on how well Malaysian businesses and SMEs have moved the needle,from just technology adoption to transforming digitally. As devices and technology became more accessible, the shift towards digitalisation helped improve efficiency and reduce costs for businesses (e.g. in manufacturing, labour, etc.).
Adoption of IT and data across companies and industries empowered to make the right decisions and drives agility. Moving forward, a large proportion of new technology adoption and use will be driven by SMEs, as they account for majority of business establishments (97.3%) in the country.
The work laid out in the National Budget 2017 is a step in the right direction to transform Malaysia into one of the most developed digital nations in Southeast Asia. Initiatives such as the Digital Free Trade Zone, the first of its kind in the world will help facilitate e-commerce. Impetus to Digital Makers Movement and Malaysia Digital Hub are great opportunity builders and will enable Malaysia to attract investment in technology sectors and remain highly competitive.
We welcome the move by the Government to bridge digital opportunity by enhancing access to broadband and ensuring all Malaysians have access to the social and economic development in this IT era. At Microsoft, we aim to empower every individual and every organization to achieve more. We were founded on the principle that people can do remarkable things when technology is within reach. This year also saw Microsoft Malaysia signing MoUs to drive connected healthcare as well as ICT driven education in the country.
In the mobile-first, cloud-first world that we currently live in, I believe that the future of businesses in Malaysia will be productivity-driven, innovation-led. With the SMEs expected to generate 9.5 million jobs by 2020, adoption of digital tools such as e-payments, e-services and cloud computing will grow manifold.
I firmly believe that innovation will be the bedrock of digital transformation as we work alongside the government to leverage the power of information technology and harness its potential in the digital ecosystem.
At the back of strong support from the government, 2017 is all set to be the year of Internet of Economy!
Till we sign in again in 2017….
By K Raman Managing Director Microsoft Malaysia
