SALUTATIONS

Tuan Ma Sivanesan

Deputy Secretary General (Strategic Policy), Ministry Of Digital

Mr. Börje Ekholm

Group President & CEO of Ericsson, and Ericsson’s Executive Team

Datuk Ahmad Zaki Zahid and Encik Nasution Mohamed

CSO and COO of Digital Nasional Berhad

MOU Partners: Intel, eMooVit, Scania and SKF Telcos, distinguished guests, members of the media Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good morning and Salam Malaysia Madani.

1.             I would like to thank Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) and Ericsson Malaysia for inviting me to this signing ceremony. I would also like take this opportunity to formally welcome Mr Borjë Ekholm, Group President and CEO of Ericsson, to Malaysia once again.

2.             I am pleased to note that this year marks the 59th anniversary of Ericsson in Malaysia. Since it first set up operations in 1965, Ericsson has played a vital role in the development of the Malaysian telecommunications industry. I believe as we enter the digital age, the relationship and trust that have been forged will continue to grow and prosper.

3.    I am just as delighted to welcome Intel — a global technology pioneer and a trusted partner in Malaysia's journey to technological excellence and economic advancement. Intel's 50-year history of contributing to Malaysia's growth is set to continue with its commitment to invest US$14 billion by 2032 and recently partnered with the government to implement AI Untuk Rakyat, further solidifying our strong partnership. With its expertise in advanced technologies and AI, Intel’s solutions in collaboration with DNB, our local telecommunications companies, and Ericsson will be pivotal to the successful rollout of 5G in Malaysia.

4.    As you are aware, the Government of Malaysia formed the Ministry of Digital in December last year to lead digitalisation efforts in the country, and to spearhead digital transformation and adoption across Government agencies and business verticals. Indeed, digital transformation and adoption will drive improvements in business processes and customer experiences, and Malaysia’s world-class 5G network is the cornerstone of this digitalisation plan.

5.             Since 2021, the rollout of the 5G network in Malaysia has been led by DNB, together with Ericsson as the main technology partner. The deployment of the 5G network in Malaysia is one of the fastest in the world, with over 80% coverage reached in just over 2 years since the launch of 5G services in the country. As of end March 2024, the 5G coverage of populated areas (COPA) in Malaysia has reached 80.5%. The 5G network is currently serving more than 11.9 million 5G subscribers from major mobile operators collectively as at end- March 2024.

6.             It is heartening to note that Malaysia’s 5G network is built for the future, and its future-ready capabilities will be able to serve enterprises in their digitalisation journey today, tomorrow and well into the future.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

7.             Moving forward, while the growth in mobile subscribers is on a positive trajectory, the next frontier to focus on is industry adoption with respect to enterprises, big and small, in which development activities have begun to take traction since 2022.

8.             I am pleased to note that DNB together with mobile operators have overseen  the  development  of  several  5G  enterprise private networks, including in the oil and gas sector as an early adopter, such as Petronas’s RGTSU and MRCSB platform in Melaka, MLNG Complex in Bintulu and KIPC Complex in Kerteh. Currently, proof-of-concept private networks are deployed in Transocean logistic facilities in Kuala Lumpur, and Clarion manufacturing facilities in Penang.

9.             The Government via agencies such as DNB is currently driving market development activities to ensure that this momentum of digital adoption – across economic sectors – will continue to grow, and that various initiatives will be aggressively pursued for more industry stakeholders to come on board.

10.         Just a week ago, I was in Penang to officiate the ‘Connected Industries Day: Transforming Manufacturing with 5G and AI’ workshop that was organised by DNB in collaboration with Intel, Ericsson and China Mobile International, and with the support of the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM). The event was attended by over 200 industry players, with the objective to encourage adoption of digital solutions by Malaysian manufacturers.

11.         Today’s event is a continuation of the mission to encourage the digitalisation of enterprises and industries in Malaysia. The signing of MOUs today will demonstrate the power of Enterprise 5G, that leverages on Malaysia’s world-class 5G network to enable operational efficiency, product differentiation and new business models.

12.         The first MOU, between DNB and Ericsson with Intel, will see the development of Enterprise 5G solutions in Malaysia. The MOU with eMooVit -- a homegrown startup and flagbearer for Autonomous Vehicle deployment and technology solutions -- will enable pilot use cases of autonomous transport. These enterprises will go to market with  their  chosen  Telcos/Access  Seekers  to  implement their 5G use cases.

13.         The MOU with Scania on fleet management use cases will enable the development of 5G-based solutions, and lastly, the MOU with SKF on smart manufacturing will see the adoption of use cases on wireless digitalisation within a factory setting. These MOUs represent the first immediate steps to put plans into action and achieve on-ground implementation over the next few weeks and months.

14.         I hope that these pioneering industry initiatives will go on to demonstrate that advanced technologies will act as the catalyst for enterprises to propel Malaysia’s economy as a leading digital nation, bringing enhanced prosperity and improved welfare to the people of this country.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

15.         Since its launch more than two years ago, Malaysia’s 5G network has consistently performed well, making it one of the best- performing 5G networks worldwide. According to Ookla’s Speedtest Intelligence® Q4 2023 data, Malaysia continues to outperform other Southeast Asian countries in 5G network performance. This is despite the expected decrease in performance due to more user adoption and congestion.

16.         The data shows that Malaysia achieved a 5G median download speed of 451.79 Mbps, which is higher than Singapore’s 329.73 Mbps, Thailand’s 129.40 Mbps, and the Philippines’ 125.14 Mbps. Malaysia also reported the fastest 5G median upload speed among its Southeast Asian neighbours at 51.84 Mbps, compared to 27.57 Mbps for Singapore, 23.63 Mbps for Thailand, and 12.00 Mbps for the Philippines.

17.         Malaysia’s high-performing 5G network is a world-class and award- winning digital infrastructure, where manufacturers can leverage the transformational capabilities of 5G technology to improve their business operations and efficiencies. The widespread availability of high-quality 5G in Malaysia right now means that it is far easier than ever for industries to adopt use cases that are powered by 5G technology. I am hopeful that with this digitalisation initiative by DNB and Ericsson, more enterprises will embrace the possibilities that these advance telecommunication technologies can bring to their businesses.

18.         Finally, I would like to congratulate the signing parties again, namely Intel, Scania, SKF and eMoovit, together with DNB and Ericsson, for coming together to boost our nation’s digitalisation journey, and I wish you all the best in your endeavours.

Thank you.